In an attempt to convince the public of his robust health, former President Donald Trump’s medical examiner insinuated he is ‘fully fit’ for the responsibilities of a commander-in-chief. This conclusion was drawn following Trump’s recent ostensibly thorough physical examination. The examination included memory tests like remembering spoken words and reciting a series of random numbers backwards. Interestingly, Trump continues to maintain a shroud of secrecy over the basic details of his health, notwithstanding his penchant for casting doubts over predecessor Joe Biden’s physical and mental fitness.
His medical examiner stated that despite being the oldest individual to be elected as U.S President, Trump is ‘fully fit’ to undertake the tasks of commander-in-chief. This conclusion was drawn post a recent health check-up. The White House disseminated the said health report on a Sunday, indicating that Trump’s health may have improved since his 2020 examination. The last examination portrayed him teetering on the brink of obesity.
Trump’s doctor during this tenure, Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, who was responsible for running a health clinic in North Carolina in the past, attributed Trump’s health to his ‘active lifestyle’. According to him, this supposedly plays a significant role in improving the wellbeing of the Republican president. Barbabella’s assertion implies that Trump is completely equipped to perform the duties of a commander-in-chief and the head of state.
The summarised health report subtly mentioned that Trump had undergone cataract surgery in both his eyes, conveniently leaving out the exact dates. The former president passed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test yet again, a brief screening process gauging various brain functions. The findings of the test were penned down by the seemingly bias Barbabella.
‘I think I did very well,’ Trump, not surprisingly, self-praised following his assessment. ‘Overall, I felt I was in very good shape. A good heart, a good soul, a very good soul.’ The statements reflect his usual narcissistic rhetoric, and seem to be aimed at contrasting himself with the aged Democratic President Joe Biden, who turned 82 when his presidential term concluded in January.
The former president has consistently sown doubts about Biden’s physical and mental fitness, despite keeping the basic details about his health out of public domain. The contradiction was glaring when he continually questioned Biden’s ability to carry out presidential duties, while keeping his own health situation shrouded.
The health report confirmed a suspicious detail about Trump’s health—an apparent scar on the right ear resulting from a gunshot wound. This injury was allegedly sustained during an assassination attempt in July 2024 at a Pennsylvania campaign rally. Though one might wonder, given the secrecy around Trump’s other health records, whether this too could be part of a media strategy.
The blatant double standards become glaringly evident in the way Trump casts aspersions on the physical and mental capacity of Joe Biden. Meanwhile, he himself continues to obfuscate about his own health status.
Reflecting on the assessment, Trump managed to convince himself and perhaps his more gullible followers that he ‘did very well’. He made grandiose claims about his own moral character and physical health. In an attempt to pull a veil over Biden’s presidency, Trump keeps harping on the ages of the two politicians.
Despite the simpler Montreal Cognitive Assessment passed by Trump and written down by the possibly partial Barbabella, it seems to have been conveniently forgotten that Trump’s propensity for avoiding the subject of his own health. Simultaneously, the baseless character attacks on Biden’s physical and mental capacity remain relentless.
In a continuous attack on Biden’s abilities, Trump seems to be making a mockery of his own transparency, or lack thereof. While constantly doubting Biden’s capability to carry out his presidential responsibilities, Trump himself refrains from revealing basic health information to the public.
Covering up for Trump’s serious past health issues, the summary fleetingly mentions his cataract surgeries. The cloak-and-dagger approach is further illustrated in the doctor’s attempt to paint a rosy picture, hiding any dubious health details.
Various attempts to convey that Trump is ‘fully fit’ to undertake the duties of a commander-in-chief, while simultaneously discrediting Biden’s capacities, come across as more than slightly biased. The silenced voices of scepticism around the complications due to Trump’s obesity and his storied battles with basic trivia paints a questionable portrait of transparency.
Criticism all aside, the shroud of truth about Trump’s health continues to be an elusive concept. The public deserves an honest account. As Trump continues to sow doubts on Biden’s capabilities while keeping his own health history under wraps, the question of integrity persistently surrounds the former President’s public relations maneuvers.