Trump Defends Energy & Health, Reveals CT Scan Details in WSJ Interview/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump confirmed he underwent a CT scan in October 2025, not an MRI, and dismissed public concern about his health. In a Wall Street Journal interview, he detailed his preventive screening and defended his energy levels and daily schedule. Trump remains the oldest president ever sworn in and has pushed back against questions about aging and fitness.
Trump Health Interview Quick Looks
- Trump confirms he had a CT scan in October 2025
- Screening part of a routine check-up at Walter Reed
- White House physician says results were completely normal
- Trump regrets scan due to media speculation over health
- Advanced imaging ruled out any cardiovascular abnormalities
- Bruising on hand blamed on aspirin and handshaking
- Trump takes 325mg aspirin daily for heart health
- Diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency causing leg swelling
- Tried compression socks but stopped wearing them
- Dismisses claims he falls asleep in meetings
- Says he rests eyes or blinks deeply during briefings
- Denies hearing issues, attributes energy to genetics
- Daily work schedule runs from early morning to 7–8 p.m.
Deep Look: Trump Defends Energy & Health, Reveals CT Scan Details in WSJ New Interview
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump defended his health, physical energy, and medical routine in a new interview published by The Wall Street Journal, offering additional details about a previously undisclosed CT scan he underwent in October 2025 that sparked widespread public curiosity.
The 79-year-old president, now the oldest person ever to hold the office, acknowledged that he received a computed tomography (CT) scan — not an MRI as he initially stated — during an October visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The scan examined his heart and abdomen as part of a preventive health screening.
The advanced imaging, described by the White House as “routine,” was conducted while Trump was at Walter Reed to meet with hospital staff and military personnel. Trump had already undergone a full physical exam earlier in April 2025, according to his physician.
White House physician Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella released a statement Thursday, clarifying the reason for the screening. He explained that while at Walter Reed for official meetings, Trump was advised to complete an additional health evaluation, including either a CT scan or an MRI.
“We recommended the president undergo further routine imaging to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues,” Barbabella said. “The results were perfectly normal and revealed no abnormalities.”
CT scans, while less detailed than MRIs, are quicker and often used to examine internal organs and rule out specific conditions, particularly in men Trump’s age.
Public Reaction and Presidential Regret
Trump said the decision to take the test was intended to be efficient but backfired politically. In hindsight, he said he regretted doing it at all, as the screening prompted unnecessary speculation about his health.
“In retrospect, it’s too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition,” Trump told The Wall Street Journal. “I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t, because the fact that I took it said, ‘Oh gee, is something wrong?’ Well, nothing’s wrong.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the president’s stance, stating that the administration and doctors had always maintained that Trump underwent “advanced imaging” and that the president chose to release more specific information to demonstrate transparency.
“President Trump has nothing to hide,” Leavitt said in a statement. “This administration is committed to transparency, and the president is in excellent health.”
Visible Symptoms Raise Questions
In recent months, visual signs such as bruising on Trump’s right hand and swelling in his lower legs have generated speculation, particularly as he remains a vocal critic of former President Joe Biden’s health.
Leavitt addressed the bruising, attributing it to frequent handshaking and the president’s daily use of aspirin, a blood thinner taken to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Trump confirmed he takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily — higher than the typical low-dose recommendation — and acknowledged doing so against the advice of some doctors.
“I’ve been taking aspirin for 25 years,” Trump said. “I’m a little superstitious about it. They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart. I want nice, thin blood. Does that make sense?”
The swelling in his legs was attributed to chronic venous insufficiency, a condition common in older adults where leg veins struggle to return blood to the heart, causing fluid buildup. Trump said he tried wearing compression socks to reduce the swelling but disliked the feel and stopped using them.
Trump on Energy, Sleep, and Daily Routine
Addressing critics who have suggested he may fall asleep during meetings, Trump pushed back firmly. When cameras caught him with closed eyes during briefings, he said he was simply blinking or resting his eyes.
“Sometimes I just close my eyes. It’s very relaxing to me,” he said. “They’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink.”
Trump added that he has always been a light sleeper and rarely gets a full night’s rest, a trait he frequently cited during his first term. He described his daily White House routine as starting early in the private residence and continuing in the Oval Office until the early evening.
“I start the day early and work until 7 or 8 p.m.,” he said. “That’s been my routine — always has been.”
He also dismissed concerns about his hearing, saying any difficulty understanding people comes only when “there’s a lot of people talking.”
Fitness in the Spotlight
As the 2026 campaign cycle begins to take shape, health and age are once again focal points in political discourse. Trump, who turns 80 this year, has consistently questioned the mental fitness of political opponents — particularly Joe Biden — but now faces similar scrutiny.
Biden, who turned 82 during his final year in office and ended his reelection bid amid health concerns, was similarly dogged by public questioning over his age and cognitive sharpness. Now, the same debates are emerging around Trump’s stamina and fitness to lead.
Trump, however, credits his vitality to his family background. “Genetics are very important,” he said. “And I have very good genetics.”
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