'He likes the results': Dr. Oz defends President Trump's repeated medical tests
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz claimed that President Donald Trump continues to get medical checkups because he "likes the results." Speaking to reporters at a White House briefing on Tuesday, Oz praised the President's "energy" and claimed that the frequent tests were done as Trump wants to stay on top of things and make sure everything is "going in the right direction."
While presidents typically release the results of a medical exam once per year, Trump has taken four exams since returning to office in January 2025, including a physical exam at the end of May, according to Forbes. The White House released the results of the test in a three-page memo on Friday, with Trump's physician, Sean Barbabella, noting that the President's overall health was "excellent" despite some "slight lower leg swelling" and "benign" hand bruising.
While Barbabella has not taken questions about his examinations, Oz, a celebrity physician, fielded questions on the topic as he stood in for Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, who is on maternity leave. During the briefing, when a reporter asked why Trump keeps having frequent checkups if he is in "such perfect health," Oz responded, saying, "I think because he likes the results." He went on to add that the president "aces the tests every single day," and he is still "curious" to make sure everything is going in the right direction. "He's a very meticulous person in so many ways that are often underappreciated," Oz stated.
Trump's health has been a frequent topic of speculation, with reports pointing out unusual bruises on his right hand and unverified rumors of him suffering from incontinence. The bruising was explained by Barbabella last year as a byproduct of "frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin," though it appeared on Trump's non-dominant left hand. Furthermore, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said that the bruises are due to him taking a higher dose of aspirin because he's "superstitious." "They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart," Trump said. "I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?" he told the outlet. In July last year, the White House also said he was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a rather common vein condition that causes swelling surrounding the ankles.
Despite the speculation, Trump has long portrayed himself as the pinnacle of strength and vitality, and a stronger individual than former President Joe Biden. During the briefing, Oz stuck to the President's message, claiming that in his own experience, Trump was in good shape. "I work with him, frequently; many of you get to see him almost every day," Oz said. "That amount of energy, and that amount of mental acuity, does not exist in a vacuum. You have to have a vessel to carry it, and the President has a unique ability to just keep going at all hours of the day with remarkable strength," he added. Trump is turning 80 next month, and he will be the oldest person to hold the presidency by the time he leaves office.
