Donald Trump again boasted about his health during a speech at the White House Hanukkah Reception this week.
Trump compared his health to former President Barack Obama’s and former President Joe Biden’s after addressing a terror attack targeting a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday.
The mass shooting left 15 people dead, including a 10-year-old girl, and wounded 40 people after a father and son opened fire in an attack inspired by the Islamic State, police said.
Highlights
- Trump claimed he is the healthiest president, citing White House doctor Ronny Jackson’s opinion comparing him to Obama and Biden.
- Ronny Jackson served as White House physician under Obama and Trump but was not Biden’s doctor and now serves as a Texas congressman.
- Jackson faced a Pentagon investigation for misconduct and was twice involved in alcohol-related incidents while on presidential trips.
Donald Trump said he was healthier than Barack Obama and Joe Biden
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“Let me take a moment to send the love and prayers to our entire nation, to the people of Australia, and especially all those affected by the horrific and antisemitic terrorist attack—and that’s exactly what it is, antisemitic—that took place on a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney. What a terrible, terrible thing,” Trump told attendees.
Trump, 79, then moved on to introducing those at the reception on Tuesday, including Texas GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson, who once served as the White House physician.
He claimed that, in Jackson’s professional opinion, he was the healthiest president compared to Obama and Biden.
“He was my White House doctor,” Trump said, adding, “Ronny was asked, ‘Who’s the healthiest of all? Was it Barack Hussein Obama? Was it Sleepy Joe Biden? Or was it Donald Trump?' And he said, ‘Trump was by far the healthiest.’”
Jackson, a retired naval officer, served as the White House physician during Obama’s second term from 2013 to 2017.
He held the same position under the first Trump administration, but he did not serve as Biden’s White House doctor during his term.
After leaving the role, Jackson moved into politics and was elected to serve as the Republican congressman for Texas’ 13th Congressional District in 2020, assuming office in 2021.
He has been at the center of controversy in recent years after a Pentagon inspector-general investigation into his conduct at the White House led to the Navy retroactively demoting him.
Ronny Jackson was investigated over his conduct at the White House medical office
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A report, published by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General in 2021, detailed 12 complaints against Jackson up until June 2018.
It concluded that he disparaged, belittled, bullied, and humiliated his subordinates, fostering a negative work environment by failing to treat them with dignity and respect.
“We also concluded that RDML Jackson failed to conduct himself in an exemplary manner in his treatment of subordinates throughout his tenure at WHMU,” the report noted.
It added, “We concluded that RDML Jackson engaged in inappropriate conduct involving the use of alcohol during two incidents.
“Both incidents occurred during presidential trips while RDML Jackson was in charge of providing medical care and treatment to U.S. Government officials—a trip to Manila, Philippines, in April 2014 and a trip to Bariloche, Argentina, in March 2016.”
Image credits: Alex Wong/Getty Images
In July 2022, the Navy retroactively reduced his retired rank to captain based on those substantiated findings.
Then, earlier this year, the Navy secretary reviewed the matter and restored Jackson’s retired rank of rear admiral, reversing the earlier action.
Jackson also does not have an active medical license, as he allowed it to lapse after being elected to serve Congress, meaning he can only practice medicine in an emergency.
Trump’s latest comments do not mark the first time that Jackson has made the claim about Trump’s health being perfect.
‘He is mentally and physically sharper than ever before,’ Jackson said previously
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In a statement sent to The Daily Beast in August, via the White House, Jackson said, “As President Trump’s former personal physician, former Physician to the President, and White House physician for 14 years across three administrations, I can tell you unequivocally: President Donald J. Trump is the healthiest president this nation has ever seen.
“I continue to consult with his current physician and medical team at the White House and still spend significant time with the President. He is mentally and physically sharper than ever before.”
Trump’s repeated bragging over his health comes as scrutiny over his wellbeing continues to grow, amplified by his recent MRI scan and cognitive testing, as well as hand bruising.