Donald Trump’s former doctor has said he hid cauliflower in the president’s mashed potato in a failed attempt to help him lose weight.
Dr Ronny Jackson, the former chief medical advisor to Mr Trump, also made ice cream “less available” and planned to bring exercise machines into the White House to make the leader shed between 10 and 15 pounds.
The physician, who is now running to be a Republican congressman, said one of his biggest regrets was not implementing a diet and exercise regimen with the president.
“The exercise stuff never took off as much as I wanted it to,” Mr Jackson told The New York Times.
“But we were working on his diet. We were making the ice cream less accessible, we were putting cauliflower into the mashed potatoes.”
However, the plans never came to pass and Mr Trump gained four pounds by his next physical in February 2019, tipping him in to the obese category.
Mr Jackson first received national attention in 2018 after he gave a glowing report of the president’s health despite Mr Trump’s love of fast food.
He told reporters at a press conference: “You know, I told the president that if he had a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old.
“He has incredibly good genes, and it’s just the way God made him.”
After these comments, the doctor became part of the president’s inner circle and Mr Trump nominated him to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Mr Jackson later withdrew from the position amid controversy about his qualifications for the role.
He was also accused of allegedly giving out prescription drugs like they were “candy” and being drunk at work. Mr Jackson said these allegations were completely false and fabricated.”
