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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Graig Graziosi

Trump to visit Walter Reed for ‘routine yearly checkup’ for second time in six months as health speculations swirl

President Donald Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday, but the White House says his visit is just a "routine yearly check-up."

Trump, the oldest man to be inaugurated as U.S. president at age 78, previously went to the hospital in January to receive cognitive and cardiology testing.

“On Friday morning, President Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center for a planned meeting and remarks with the troops,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. “While there, President Trump will stop by for his routine yearly check up. He will then return to the White House.”

But Trump's doctor, Dr Sean Barbabella, said the president went for his annual physical exam at Walter Reed on April 11.

The scheduled visit Friday may involve a pre-travel medical check-up, as Trump said he’s considering taking a trip to Egypt amid the Israeli and Hamas negotiations, according to the White House. It's unclear if he is still planning on traveling after the two sides reached an agreement on Wednesday.

He may also be following up on a recent diagnosis; since his last appointment in April, Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. The condition is fairly common in older adults and can cause swelling in the legs.

Trump's also been sporting a bruised hand in some recent photos. Speculation about what may be wrong with the president circulated on social media, but Barbabella chalked the bruising up to the huge number of handshakes he gives and Trump’s use of aspirin for his cardiovascular health.

In his April report, the doctor said Trump was otherwise fine and capable of fulfilling his role as the president.

“President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” the doctor said at the time.

Bruising on President Donald Trump’s right hand fueled speculation that he was ill in early September. Trump’s doctor attributed the bruising to irritation caused by numerous hand shakes and his use of aspirin for his cardiovascular health (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The president reportedly scored a 30 out of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, according to the White House's April report.

”Overall, I felt I was in very good shape,” Trump said after his appointment. “A good heart, a good soul, a very good soul.”

Those weren't the only rumors which have been circulating about Trump's health this year.

Earlier in the summer social media commenters were speculating that Trump was dead after a few days passed without him making a public appearance. Before long, photos of Trump golfing at one of his resorts surfaced after which Trump himself put the speculation to bed.

“NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time.

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