THE White House has unveiled Donald Trump’s secretive MRI scan, confirming that the 79-year-old “remains in excellent overall health” after weeks of speculation.
The president was said to have completed a “comprehensive executive physical” that included evaluations of his heart and abdomen, which came back “perfectly normal”.
Aboard Air Force One last night, Trump hit back at reporters pressing him about the tests as declared he had “aced” a cognitive exam.
The president also suggested that the two reporters questioning him would be “incapable of doing” the same.
Trump had said it was “OK with me” to share the results while being grilled mid-flight on Sunday as he headed back to Washington from Mar-a-Lago.
When pressed by a reporter about which body part the MRI examined, Trump said: “I have no idea. It was just an MRI – what part of the body? It wasn’t the brain, because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”
The president has been under the microscope ever since pictures emerged in July showing an unusual bruise on his hand as well as swollen ankles.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt immediately squashed rumours of failing health by revealing that the president suffers from chronic venous insufficiency.
The condition can cause swelling in the legs as veins struggle to pump blood back to the heart.
But the White House insisted it was totally benign and common.
Trump has previously self-described as “the healthiest president that’s ever lived.”
Rumours have also been swirling about Trump’s cognitive state, with critics claiming he has slowed down during his second term.
The fact that MRIs often target the brain only fanned the flames of speculation.
But on Monday officials quashed the gossip, revealing the scans were actually aimed at Trump’s heart and abdomen.
US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, the physician to the president, released a rundown of what he called Trump’s “advanced imaging results”.
The scan showed no abnormalities and Barbabella added that MRIs are routine preventative checks for men Trump’s age.
He added: “The purpose of this imaging is preventive: to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality and function.
“President Trump’s cardiovascular imaging is perfectly normal. There is no evidence of arterial narrowing impairing blood flow or abnormalities in the heart or major vessels.
“The heart chambers are normal in size, the vessel walls appear smooth and healthy, and there are no signs of inflammation or clotting.
“Overall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health.
“His abdominal imaging is also perfectly normal. All major organs appear very healthy and well-perfused. Everything evaluated is functioning within normal limits with no acute or chronic concerns.”
Rumours of Trump’s declining state have dogged him throughout his second term, before his October 10 MRI was let slip.
Trump has blasted journalists questioning his energy levels during his second term.
He recently called New York Times journalist Katie Rogers a “third-rate reporter who is ugly, both inside and out” for claiming the president is struggling to stay sharp as he ages.
What is an MRI?
An MRI scan takes detailed pictures inside
He recently blasted a “stupid” reporter for her bizarre question in the aftermath of the deadly shooting of two National Guard troops
The tense exchange unfolded at the start of Thursday’s press conference, when reporters asked whether the federal screening of the perpetrating Afghan migrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, had failed.
Nancy Cordes, 51, noted that federal officials had previously said the suspect “worked closely with the CIA in Afghanistan for years, that he was vetted and the vetting came up clean.”
Trump then provided an emphatic response to the reporter’s suggestion of some sort of state failing.
“He went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts,” he said.
“It happens too often with these people. You see them.”
Cordes pressed again, citing the Justice Department inspector general.
“Actually, your DOJ IG just reported this year that there was thorough vetting by DHS and by the FBI of these Afghans who were brought into the US, so why do you blame the Biden administration for what this man did?”
This time, Trump erupted.
“Because they came in on a plane along with thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here and you’re just asking questions because you’re a stupid person.”
