Donald Trump's mobility has become the subject of intense scrutiny after a tabloid claimed the US President may be heading for double hip replacement surgery, a claim at odds with official medical memos that describe him as 'in exceptional health'.
The past fortnight has seen a swirl of reports, video clips, and official statements as journalists, doctors, and political opponents clash over what can be confirmed about Trump's health. An exclusive published on 16 October 2025 asserted that unnamed sources say the 79-year-old President is 'riddled with arthritis' and could require double hip replacement; the story has been widely shared but rests on anonymous sourcing.
At the same time, the White House has released formal memoranda from the physician to the President declaring routine examinations and reassuring the public that Trump 'remains in exceptional health'. Those memos, including an April 2025 summary released by the White House and a July 2025 follow-up memorandum, detail comprehensive physicals and a battery of specialist consultations but do not list pending orthopaedic surgery
The Tabloid Claim and What it Relies On
The tabloid's report presents a dramatic portrait of advanced arthritis and a near-term plan for bilateral hip replacement, citing unnamed 'sources' and making broader claims about cognitive decline. The site's piece has been republished by some aggregator outlets, amplifying its reach despite the lack of corroborating primary documents.
Crucially, said publication does not attach medical records, a surgeon's statement, or any official scheduling notice for surgery at a military medical facility or private hospital. Without those primary documents, the claim remains an allegation.
What Official Sources Say — The White House and Walter Reed
Official channels tell a different story. The physician to the President released an expansive memorandum on 13 April 2025 summarising an annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, noting diagnostic testing and consultations with multiple specialists, and concluding that the President had no orthopaedic surgery listed in his history that required disclosure in that memo.
When further scrutiny arose in October 2025, including questions about swelling in the lower legs, the White House again released statements and a semiannual physical note indicating preventive care and imaging were performed and that Trump 'remains in exceptional health'.
Publications reported the release and noted the memos' language while also quoting independent physicians who said the public summary lacked granular data that would allow outside clinicians to assess issues such as joint degeneration or the need for replacement surgery.
Those official documents explicitly cite diagnoses such as chronic venous insufficiency for leg swelling, a condition common in older adults; they do not list scheduled hip operations or an admission of bilateral hip failure. This absence does not prove there is no orthopaedic issue, but it does mean there is no primary, verifiable evidence from the White House or Walter Reed that surgery is planned.
Medical Transparency
Trump has also addressed his health in public remarks and interviews, telling audiences he felt fit and able to undertake presidential duties; several video clips of addresses and remarks are available on official channels and broadcast outlets where he reassured audiences about his fitness.
These public statements are important sources for what the President says about his own condition. However, clinicians caution that self-reporting by a patient is not a substitute for medical imaging, operative scheduling documents, or direct surgeon statements.
Independent medical experts interviewed by mainstream outlets have noted that hip replacement is a common operation in older adults but emphasised that indications for bilateral hip replacement normalmente (normally) require clear imaging evidence, functional limitation tests, and documented failure of conservative therapy.
No surgeon's statement or hospital scheduling notice has been produced in connection with the tabloid report, and neither the White House nor Walter Reed has confirmed any orthopaedic referral for imminent bilateral hip arthroplasty.
