By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The White House personal physician of the US President, Donald Trump has declared him in “excellent health”, following his third known checkup since his return to office in January last year.
Trump, the oldest President to take the oath of office, was also advised to increase physical exercise and lose weight after gaining 14 pounds in just over a year.
A three-page report, authored by White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella, detailed the results of Trump’s physical exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier this week, as the President approaches his 80th birthday next month.
Trump has “strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function” and is “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” the report reads.
He underwent extensive physical and mental tests, according to the report, including an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the carotid arteries, examination of the lungs and eyes, screenings for anxiety and depression, and blood tests.
The report says Trump stands 75 inches tall and weighs 238 pounds, with an increase of 14 pounds from his April 2025 medical exam.
This puts his body mass index at 29.7, at the very top of the overweight range and just below the obese category, which begins at 30. Dr. Barbabella said the President had been given guidance on diet, physical activity, and continued weight loss.
Trump’s cardiac age was also estimated to be 14 years younger than his chronological age.
“His demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements, and regular physical activity, continues to support his overall well-being,” Dr. Barbabella wrote.
Trump takes two medications, rosuvastatin and ezetimibe, to treat his history of high cholesterol, as well as daily aspirin to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Dr. Barbabella said the aspirin helps explain Trump’s noticeable bruises on his hands, which the report describes as “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking” and “a common and benign effect” of the medication.
The usual daily preventive aspirin dose is around 80 milligrams. President Trump previously took about four times that amount, or 325 milligrams, daily.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal in an interview in January.
The report also said that “slight lower leg swelling was noted, with improvement from last year,” after the White House revealed last summer that such swelling was a result of a chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis. The condition occurs when the valves in the legs don’t function properly, causing blood to pool in the veins.
The report also noted Trump’s ears were “normal, except for scarring of the right ear consistent with prior gunshot injury,” the result of a bullet grazing his ear during an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.
