President Donald Trump said that his former White House doctor Ronny Jackson told him he is “by far the healthiest” compared to Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Trump, who is 79 years old, made these comments during a Hanukkah reception at the White House on Tuesday, December 16.
Trump started his speech by addressing the mass shooting in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, that happened on Sunday, December 14. He then introduced Texas Representative Ronny Jackson, who served as his White House doctor.
According to People, Trump shared what Jackson supposedly said when asked to compare the three leaders. The president said Jackson was asked, “Who’s the healthiest of all? Was it Barack Hussein Obama? Was it Sleepy Joe Biden? Or was it Donald Trump?” Jackson reportedly answered, “Trump was by far the healthiest.”
Jackson’s loyalty to Trump shows in his public statements
Trump clearly valued Jackson’s comment. He called Jackson a “great legend” and joked, “I love him. If he didn’t say that I would never have talked to him again.”
Jackson is a retired naval officer who now serves as the Republican congressman for Texas’ 13th Congressional District. He was the White House physician during Obama’s second term, which started in January 2013, and stayed in the role during part of Trump’s first term.
Trump claimed Jackson was the doctor for “all three of us,” including Biden, who is 83. However, Biden had a different doctor during his presidency, though Jackson was the White House doctor when Biden was vice president. Jackson also worked in a smaller role in the White House Medical Unit during George W. Bush’s time as president.
.@POTUS on former White House physician @RepRonnyJackson: The Fake News asked him, 'Doctor, who was the healthiest? Bush, Obama, or Trump?' He said, 'Not even a contest. By far, the healthiest is President Donald J. Trump.' I said, 'I love that guy.'
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 6, 2025pic.twitter.com/aTVRhYdiqu
Jackson has praised Trump’s health before. In August, he said, “President Donald J. Trump is the healthiest president this nation has ever seen.” Trump has often defended his record by comparing himself to Obama on various issues. Trump also mentioned the “healthiest of them all” story at a Mar-a-Lago event on November 14, 2024.
Earlier this month, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a memo from the current White House physician, Sean Barbabella. The memo showed results from two MRI tests Trump took in October at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Barbabella said both tests were “perfectly normal” and that Trump “remains in excellent overall health.”
While Trump touts his health, former presidents have criticized his leadership approach on other matters. Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency in July, where blood pools in the leg veins. He is the oldest person ever elected president in the United States.
