At a White House briefing on Tuesday, Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, defended President Donald Trump’s most recent medical examination, calling it routine and praising the accompanying records as "spectacular." The comments came after the 79-year-old president visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last week for what is his third physical in 13 months.
Concerns about the president’s physical condition had been raised after he was seen at public events with swollen ankles, bruised hands and moments when he appeared to nod off. Details released about the exam were limited. Oz answered questions while filling in for Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, who is on maternity leave.
"It’s just a routine, regular exam," Oz said at the briefing. "If you look at these records, they’re spectacular." When asked why the president had made repeated trips for medical visits, Oz said, "I think he likes the results."
The White House late on Friday published a three-page memo from President Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella. The memo acknowledged "slight lower leg swelling" and described hand bruising as "benign," while characterizing the president’s overall condition as "excellent." Barbabella has not taken questions about his examinations of the president.
Some medical analysts have expressed curiosity about the frequency of the president’s exams, the reasons for imaging performed on his heart and what caused the bruising on his hands. Those observers also noted the limited information that accompanied the memo released by the White House.
Oz, a physician known for a public profile outside government, also commented on his own impressions of the president’s stamina and mental acuity. "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 unique abilities just to keep going at all hours of the day with remarkable strength," he said.
President Trump will turn 80 on June 14. He frequently contrasts his own fitness with that of his predecessor, Joe Biden, who left office at age 82 and faced questions about his fitness for the job.
Summary of the medical disclosures and public reaction:
- The White House released a short memo from the president’s physician noting minor findings and overall excellent health.
- Visible signs such as swollen ankles and bruised hands, and moments captured on video of apparent nodding off, prompted public and analyst scrutiny.
- Officials, including Oz, defended the exam as routine and the results as strong, while the attending physician has not taken media questions.
The record released by the White House and comments from officials have not resolved all questions about the president’s health. The limited disclosure and absence of direct answers from the examining physician have left some observers seeking further clarity on the nature and frequency of the evaluations conducted at Walter Reed.