Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
White House Tries to Quash Questions Over Trump's Health After President's Surprise Check-Up
President Trump underwent a two-hour doctor鈥檚 examination on Saturday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which the White House said was part of a routine annual physical and included lab work. The appointment was not on the president鈥檚 schedule, in contrast to a previous physical that Mr. Trump had in February, also at Walter Reed outside Washington. (Vigdor, 11/17)
"Anticipating a very busy 2020, the President is taking advantage of a free weekend here in Washington, D.C., to begin portions of his routine annual physical exam at Walter Reed," White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. Asked on Sunday about rumours the president was visiting for reasons other than a routine checkup, Grisham said: "Absolutely not. He is healthy as can be." (11/17)
Trump mentioned his visit to Walter Reed in a tweet on Saturday. 鈥淰isited a great family of a young man under major surgery at the amazing Walter Reed Medical Center,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hose are truly some of the best doctors anywhere in the world. Also began phase one of my yearly physical. Everything very good (great!). Will complete next year.鈥� (Sonmez and Bernstein, 11/17)
After his most recent physical exam, Sean Conley, the physician to the president, determined that Trump was in 鈥渧ery good health.鈥� Trump was found in February to weigh 243 pounds -- a four-pound gain from 2018 -- putting his body mass index at 30.4 and making him clinically obese. His dose of rosuvastatin, a medication for treating high cholesterol, was increased, according to a statement at the time from Conley. (Dlouhy and Phillips, 11/16)
In 2018, then-White House physician Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson praised Trump鈥檚 health during a White House briefing, saying he was in 鈥渆xcellent health鈥� and could 鈥渓ive to be 200 years old.鈥� Jackson also said he wanted Trump, who was then 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighed 239 pounds, to lose 鈥�10 to 15 pounds.鈥� (Semones, 11/16)