Donald Trump
AFP News

Donald Trump is due to undergo another medical examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland on 26 May, the White House has confirmed. The latest health check, his fourth publicised exam of his second term, comes just weeks before his 80th birthday and amid renewed online rumours about his physical condition.

The announcement follows months of briefings, clarifications and reversals from Trump's own team over his health. Since returning to office, the White House has announced three separate visits to Walter Reed or other doctors, each time describing them as routine or preventive. Yet each visit has prompted fresh questions, and the frequency of the appointments is now drawing almost as much attention as any diagnosis.

A String Of Exams

Trump's medical scrutiny this term began last April, only months after his return to the White House, when he underwent what was described as his annual physical. The nearly five hour examination, conducted by White House physician Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, included blood work, cardiac tests, ultrasounds and cognitive screening.

Barbabella's written summary was emphatic. He said Trump was in 'excellent cognitive and physical health' and remained in 'excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function'.

The issue did not end there. In July, Trump was seen by doctors again after photographers and other observers noted pronounced swelling around his ankles and bruising on his right hand.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said Trump had experienced swelling in his legs and underwent a 'comprehensive exam' that included vascular testing. He was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which veins in the legs struggle to return blood to the heart, causing blood to pool and swell in the lower limbs.

Leavitt also said the bruising on Trump's hand was consistent with 'tissue damage from frequent handshaking' while taking aspirin. In the months that followed, however, the president was also seen with bruising on both hands, prompting further speculation over whether the explanation was complete.

By October, Trump was back at Walter Reed for another assessment, initially described by Leavitt as a 'routine yearly checkup'. That raised new questions because his annual physical had already been documented in April. Trump later described the October visit as a 'sort of semi annual physical'.

According to a memo from Barbabella, the October appointment included 'advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventative health assessments' carried out by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. Pressed on what kind of imaging was used, Leavitt did not give a clear answer.

While travelling to Japan soon afterwards, Trump tried to settle the issue himself. 'I got an MRI. It was perfect,' he told reporters. 'I gave you the full results. We had an MRI, and the machine, you know, the whole thing, and it was perfect.'

As questions continued over what had actually been scanned, Trump told reporters in December that he had 'no idea' which part of his body had been examined. 'It was just an MRI,' he said. 'What part of the body? It wasn't the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.'

Then, in January, he shifted again. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump conceded that it had not been an MRI after all. 'It wasn't an MRI,' he said. 'It was less than that. It was a scan.'

Barbabella later told the Journal that Trump had in fact undergone a CT scan. The doctor said it was carried out to 'definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues' and found no abnormalities.

On paper, the medical findings released by the White House point to an elderly but apparently healthy president. What continues to fuel doubt is the muddled messaging around those visits, and Trump's own shifting account of the tests.

Rumours And Scrutiny

Trump's upcoming check-up is also unfolding against a fresh wave of online speculation about his continence and mobility. After he appeared on 60 Minutes following a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, social media users focused on the shape of his suit as he sat for the interview.

Singer Bill Madden was among those who claimed on X that the outline of Trump's clothing showed 'how morbidly obese he has become' and alleged that the president 'wears a very thick adult diaper'. The image at the centre of the commentary appeared to show a protrusion at the back of Trump's trousers while he was seated.

Trump has faced similar claims before, largely based on unverified anecdotes. Former Celebrity Apprentice crew member Noel Casler has alleged, without documentary proof, that Trump wore diapers for years and needed filming to pause for changes. Casler, who says he worked on the show for six seasons, told MediasTouch in 2020 that he witnessed this 'first hand'.

None of those claims has been confirmed by medical records or by anyone currently in Trump's official circle. They remain unverified allegations.

What is clear is that Trump's medical calendar extends beyond the Walter Reed appointment. The White House has also said he will have a dental check-up later this month, after two recent appointments with a local dentist near his Florida estate, where he often spends weekends.

Officials continue to frame the visits as signs of a president carefully managing his health as he approaches 80. Critics point to the repeated appointments, the venous diagnosis, the bruised hands and the shifting explanations around the CT scan as reasons for concern.

The fuller picture remains out of public view. What voters have instead is a partial account of Trump's health, released in fragments, at a moment when the White House is again trying to reassure the public that the president is fit for the demands of office.

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