The White House has finally revealed the reason behind Donald Trump’s recent MRI scan, after months of mounting questions and speculation regarding the president’s health.
On Monday, White House physician Sean Barbabella sent a memo to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating Trump, 79, had undergone the test preventatively because of his age.
Highlights
- The White House revealed Trump's MRI was a preventative scan focused on the heart and stomach due to his age.
- White House physician Sean Barbabella said all of Trump's major organs are healthy and functioning within normal limits.
- Experts noted an MRI is not routine and called for clarity on what prompted the advanced imaging.
The scan specifically looked at Trump’s heart and stomach to “identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality and function.”
Donald Trump had a preventative MRI for his age, according to the White House
Image credits: John McDonnell/Getty Images
Barbabella wrote in the memo that “advanced imaging was performed because men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health.”
He described all of Trump’s major organs as “very healthy and well-perfused” and functioning within normal limits.
“Overall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health. His abdominal imaging is also perfectly normal,” Barbabella noted.
In a summary at the end of the note, he added, “This level of detailed assessment is standard for an executive physical at President Trump’s age and confirms that he remains in excellent overall health.”
Leavitt shared the report with journalists at Monday’s press briefing, telling them that the details were being given in an effort of transparency.
It came just one day after Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he did not know why he had undergone the MRI but was not opposed to the results being shared.
CBS News’ Weijia Jiang asked Trump which part of his body the MRI scan had assessed on Sunday.
“I have no idea. It was just an MRI. It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and aced it. I got a perfect mark, which you would be incapable of doing,” Trump responded.
Responding to a call from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to release his MRI results, Trump added, “They were perfect, like my phone call where I got impeached. Absolutely perfect. If you want to have it released, I’ll release it.”
The president first revealed he had undergone an MRI at the Walter Reed Medical Center in October, some months after his yearly physical at the facility.
While he did not disclose the reason behind the MRI, Trump told reporters he had been given “perfect” results from doctors.
News of his MRI scan quickly sparked speculation about the state of his health, as it came after his diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which has caused Trump’s ankles to swell.
Trump was photographed numerous times with makeup covering up significant bruising on his hand, something the White House attributed to aspirin and handshaking.
Doctors have raised doubts about the official White House reasoning
Image credits: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
As well as this, the president appeared to confuse a test to measure his IQ with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in October.
The MoCA is a 10-minute test to detect early dementia and mild cognitive impairment.
While the results of the MRI scan have now been released, there are still concerns regarding Trump’s need for that imaging in the first place.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a former Bush administration cardiologist and professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University, told CNN that an MRI is not a preventative measure.
Reiner also noted that Barbabella did not confirm the exact type of test that had been ordered on Trump, instead using the term “advanced imaging.”
“There’s a lot to know that wasn’t in this report,” Barbabella added.