President Donald Trump kicked off the new year by defending his health and cognitive fitness in an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal. However, a widely shared video of the president from his New Year's Eve party sparked concern from those who watched it.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump declared "The White House Doctors have just reported that I am in 'PERFECT HEALTH,' and that I 'ACED' (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my Cognitive Examination, something which no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take."
These remarks came on the heels of a detailed Wall Street Journal interview in which Trump, 79 years old and currently serving his second term, sought to push back against reports and speculation about age-related health issues.
He claimed he was taking a higher than recommended daily aspirin dose, which he believes helps prevent blood clots, despite medical advice encouraging a lower dose. Trump admitted that he is "a little superstitious" about it and that doctors would "rather have me take the smaller one." He added, "They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart."
In that same interview, Trump also addressed public concerns over a medical imaging procedure he underwent in October. Initially described ambiguously in White House statements, he clarified to the Journal that it was actually a CT scan, not an MRI, and that it showed no abnormalities, according to his physician, Capt. Sean Barbabella. Trump said he regretted having the scan because he felt it provided "ammunition" for speculation despite reassuring results.
Videos of him apparently falling asleep at major White House events were also dismissed by the president as "Sometimes they'll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they'll catch me with the blink."
The President also mentioned not having made any changes to his diet, which has long been reported to include a lot of fast food. In the Journal piece, RNC Chair Joe Gruters recalled being "shocked" after seeing Trump eat "french fries, a McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburger, a Big Mac, and a Filet-O-Fish" all in one sitting.
However, despite his claims of a relatively clean bill of health, video from Trump's New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Florida, was widely circulated on social media, showing the president entering the event with a slight limp. Trump appeared to drag his right leg before adjusting his stride when cameras were present.
