White House says Trump in "excellent overall health" after routine checkup

President Donald Trump visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre on the morning of October 10, for what the White House described as his “routine yearly checkup,” coming just six months after his last physical examination at the same facility.

According to a memo obtained by CBS News and written by the president’s physician, Capt. Sean Barbabella, Trump “successfully completed a scheduled follow-up evaluation.” The physician detailed that the president underwent “advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventive health assessments,” noting that “comprehensive laboratory studies performed in conjunction with the visit were exceptional, including stable metabolic, hematologic, and cardiac parameters.”

During the visit, Trump also received his annual flu shot as well as an updated COVID-19 booster vaccination.

“President Trump continues to demonstrate excellent overall health,” Barbabella wrote, adding that the president’s “cardiac age — a validated measure of cardiovascular vitality via ECG — was found to be approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age.”

The president spent several hours at the medical centre, where he also met with troops.

When previously asked about the timing of a second annual checkup, the White House declined to elaborate. Trump, 79, is scheduled to travel to the Middle East as soon as this weekend following his announcement of the first phase of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.

Ahead of the visit, the president described the appointment as a “sort of semi-annual physical, which I do.” “I think I’m in great shape, but I’ll let you know,” Trump told reporters on October 9. “Physically, I feel very good. Mentally, I feel very good.”

While the president can receive routine medical care at the White House, presidents typically visit Walter Reed for more comprehensive examinations and procedures.

The White House released the results of Trump’s last physical in April, which showed no abnormalities apart from minor sun damage and scarring “on the right ear from a gunshot wound” — the result of the July 2024 assassination attempt against him. The April report also noted that Trump underwent a colonoscopy in July 2024 and was advised to have another in 2027.

After Trump was observed with swollen ankles at the FIFA Club World Cup and a bruised hand on multiple occasions, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters in July that, according to the president’s April exam, his health remained normal. However, the most recent full examination by the White House Medical Unit found that the president has chronic venous insufficiency.

According to Johns Hopkins and the Cleveland Clinic, chronic venous insufficiency occurs when veins in the legs fail to function properly, causing poor blood flow back to the heart. Barbabella noted that Trump’s examination showed no evidence of more serious conditions such as deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, and reiterated that the president remains in “excellent” overall health. The White House has said the bruising on his hand is the result of frequent handshaking as part of his official duties.

By Tamilla Hasanova