Bill Clinton’s health under scrutiny following emergency equipment sighting

Former US President Bill Clinton is once again at the centre of public concern over his health after he and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were photographed leaving the Hamptons this week with what appeared to be a portable defibrillator bag — just two months after the 79-year-old was seen stumbling on a New York City sidewalk.

The couple, a longtime fixture in Democratic politics, was spotted on August 28 boarding a private plane, Caliber.Az reports via the American press.

Clinton, dressed in a blue jacket and tan hat, was accompanied by his security detail, while Hillary, the former presidential candidate, wore a black sweatshirt over a blue two-piece outfit.

The bag in question appeared to be a Propaq MD Air Medical Bag, a transport monitor and defibrillator often used in emergencies for patients with serious heart risks. The sighting immediately fueled fresh speculation about Clinton’s health, given his well-documented history of heart and other medical issues.

Clinton’s cardiac troubles date back more than two decades. In 2004, just three years after leaving the White House, he underwent an emergency quadruple bypass at Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan after doctors discovered near-total blockages in multiple arteries. At the time, medical staff said he narrowly avoided a potentially fatal heart attack.

In 2005, he was hospitalised again for surgery to repair a collapsed lung caused by scar tissue from the bypass. Five years later, in 2010, he experienced chest pains and was rushed to a New York hospital, where two stents were inserted to open a clogged artery.

Following those episodes, the Arkansas native adopted a largely vegan diet, lost weight, and credited the lifestyle change with giving him a “second chance.”

Despite those efforts, health scares continued. In October 2021, Clinton spent several days hospitalised in California for a urological infection that had spread to his bloodstream, leading to sepsis. He was treated with IV antibiotics before being released.

More recently, in December 2024, Clinton spent Christmas Eve at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. His spokesperson reported that he had developed a fever and underwent precautionary tests before being discharged the following day.

Concerns about his stability grew in June, when Clinton was seen stumbling on a New York City sidewalk while in town for a book event. Witnesses noted that he had to steady himself by grabbing a pole as his left leg appeared to buckle.

The latest sighting of what appeared to be a portable defibrillator — a device designed to deliver emergency shocks and monitor patients at high risk of cardiac arrest — has only heightened speculation about the former president’s current condition.

By Tamilla Hasanova