Republican head of state remains in 'excellent health' with 'robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and general physical function'
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The Associated Press
Darlene Superville
Published Apr 13, 2025
Last updated 2hours ago
3 minute read
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Donald Trump’s doctor says the oldest man to be elected president is “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief as the White House released results of the physical exam Trump had Friday. The 78-year-old Trump is 20 pounds lighter since his last exam as president in 2020 showed him bordering on obesity.
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His physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, cited an “active lifestyle” that ”continues to contribute significantly” to the Republican president’s well-being. Trump turns 79 on June 14.
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In a three-page summary of the comprehensive exam, the doctor said Trump is “fully fit to execute the duties of Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.” Trump weighed 224 at the checkup, down from 244 at that physical more than four years ago.
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The summary noted that Trump previously had cataract surgery on both eyes, but did not include a date or dates. A common procedure among aging people, the surgery typically involves removing a cloudy eye lens and replacing it with an artificial lens to help clear up vision.
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In July 2024, according to the report, then-candidate Trump had a colonoscopy that found a benign polyp and the condition called diverticulosis. It’s a common condition in which the walls of the intestine weaken with age. It can lead to inflammation, though most people with it never experience any problems.
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Trump again passed a Montreal Cognitive Assessment test, a short screening test to assess different brain functions, Barbabella wrote. The test includes remembering a list of spoken words and listening to a list of random numbers and repeating them backward, among other questions.
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Known as MoCA, it’s the same test Trump took in 2018 and later recounted in an interview in which he described reciting a list of words in order: “Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.”
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The president was also screened Friday for depression and anxiety, and had normal scores on questionnaires for those conditions, according to the report.
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Trump may be the oldest person elected to the nation’s highest office, but he is four years behind Democrat Joe Biden, who was 82 when his presidential term ended in January.
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Barbabella wrote that Trump remains in “excellent health” with “robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and general physical function.”
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The doctor said Trump’s days include participating in multiple meetings, public appearances, media availabilities and “frequent victories in golf events.” Trump is an avid golfer who said he recently won tournaments played at clubs he owns in Florida
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Trump’s cholesterol levels have improved over time, helped by the medications rosuvastatin and ezetimibe.
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At his physical in January 2018, his total cholesterol was 223. In early 2019, the reading came in at 196 and it stood at 167 in 2020. Today it is 140. Ideally, total cholesterol should be less than 200.
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His blood pressure was 128 over 74. That is considered elevated, and people in that situation are likely to develop high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control the condition.
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Trump has a resting heart rate of 62 beats per minute, in line with previous tests. A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 beats to 100 beats per minute, and generally, a lower rate implies better cardiovascular fitness.
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Trump also takes aspirin, which can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
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The exam found minor sun damage to Trump’s skin and a few benign lesions, but no concerning lesions or growth. It also confirmed scarring on Trump’s right ear from a gunshot wound during an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally in July 2024.
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Barbabella performed and supervised the medical examination of Trump and said it included diagnostic and laboratory testing in addition to consultations with 14 specialists.
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Barbabella is a decorated Navy physician who specializes in emergency and tactical medicine and served several tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has a Purple Heart and a Legion of Merit award, two of the military’s highest honors.
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Barbabella is also the third consecutive osteopathic doctor to serve as physician to the president, following Biden’s doctor and one of the doctors who cared for Trump in his first term. Barbabella ran a naval health clinic in Havelock, North Carolina, before Trump tapped him for the job.
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