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Karoline Leavitt says the tests found the president ‘in excellent overall health’
Mike BediganMonday 01 December 2025 19:52 GMTComments
CloseTrump underwent MRI scan for cardiovascular and abdomen checks, White House reveals
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Donald Trump underwent an MRI scan for cardiovascular and abdomen checks, the White House has revealed.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that the tests, which were “standard” for an executive of Trump’s age (79), found the president “remains in excellent overall health.”
Calls for the release of the MRI results have swirled since Trump announced that he had undergone the “very standard” tests earlier this month. Asked over the weekend, the president said he did not know on which part of his body the scan had been conducted but said that it “wasn’t on the brain.”
He also vowed to release the results of the tests.
During Monday’s White House briefing, Leavitt quoted directly from the doctor’s readout, stating that Trump’s cardiovascular imaging “was perfectly normal” with “no evidence of arterial narrowing, impairing blood flow or abnormalities in the heart or major vessels.”
open image in galleryDonald Trump underwent an MRI scan for cardiovascular and abdomen checks, the White House has revealed (AFP via Getty Images)“The heart chambers are normal in size. The vessel walls appear smooth and healthy, and there are no signs of inflammation or clotting,” she said. “Overall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health.”
Leavitt added that, according to White House physician Sean Barbabella, the president’s abdominal imaging was “also perfectly normal” and that “all major organs appear very healthy and well perfused” with no acute or chronic concerns.
“In summary, this level of detailed assessment is standard for an executive physical at President Trump's age, and confirms that he remains in excellent overall health,” she said.
open image in galleryAfter sharing that he had undergone the MRI in November, Trump also boasted to reporters that: ‘The doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor.’ The president admitted Sunday he did not know what part of the body the scan had been performed on (Getty Images)The press secretary also reiterated that the MRI was performed because “men in [Trump’s] age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health.”
Questions about Trump’s mental and physical health have repeatedly been raised after he became the oldest American to be sworn into office in January. His health came under intense scrutiny after photos of his swollen ankles and bruised hands covered in unblended concealer makeup raised questions about whether the White House was forthcoming about the 79-year-old’s condition.
Unfounded rumors circulated in September after conspiracy theorists pointed to the fact that Trump hadn’t been seen publicly in around a week while a weekend schedule was clear from official engagements. In a Truth Social post the president declared that he had “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”
![The press secretary also reiterated that the MRI had been done because ‘men in [Trump’s] age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health’](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/12/01/19/37/GettyImages-2230612907.jpg)
open image in galleryThe press secretary also reiterated that the MRI had been done because ‘men in [Trump’s] age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health’ (AFP via Getty Images)
open image in gallerySpeculation over the president’s health, both mental and physical, have swirled intermittently since he returned to office after photos of his swollen ankles and bruised hands were shared online (REUTERS)In July, Leavitt announced Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a fairly common condition among older adults that can cause swelling in the legs, after a medical checkup over “mild swelling” in Trump’s lower legs.
After sharing that he had undergone the MRI in November, Trump also boasted to reporters that “the doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor.”
Trump’s critics and prominent Democratic officials have also repeatedly accused the administration of concealing the president’s alleged cognitive decline and have called on his Cabinet and Vice President JD Vance to remove him from office.
In an interview Sunday on NBC News, Minnesota Governor and former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz pushed for more transparency about Trump’s health and suggested the president was “fading physically” and his “mental capacity” should be a serious cause for concern.
“Here we got a guy on Thanksgiving where we spent time with our families, we ate, we played Yahtzee, we cheered for football or whatever,” Walz said, referring to a rambling post made by the president on November 27, in which he directed an ableist slur at the Governor.
“This guy is apparently in a room ranting about everything else,” Walz said. “This is not normal behavior. It’s not healthy.”
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