Trump Defends Health After NYT Report Questions His Age/ newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump, now 79, harshly criticized The New York Times over a report that questioned his energy and schedule due to age. The article cited reduced public events, shorter work hours, and a recent MRI. Trump responded with a fiery Truth Social post, highlighting a recent physical and cognitive test he says he “aced.”
Trump Age Controversy Quick Looks
- Trump, 79, criticizes NYT for report on his age
- Times notes shorter workdays, fewer public events
- Report recalls Trump dozing off, recent MRI details
- Trump touts recent physical and cognitive testing
- Truth Social post calls NYT “Radical Left Lunatics”
- Trump has long accused NYT of partisan attacks
- President refiled $15B lawsuit against the Times
- Times defends accuracy of its reporting practices
Deep Look
Trump Denounces NYT Age Report, Defends Health and Energy
President Donald Trump is once again in a heated public feud with The New York Times, this time over an article examining how his advanced age may be affecting his schedule and energy levels in office. Now 79, Trump is the oldest individual ever elected to serve as President of the United States.
The Times piece, published earlier this week, cited several noticeable differences between Trump’s current term and his first in the White House, particularly a more limited public schedule. According to the report, the president now holds fewer public events and typically makes appearances between noon and 5 p.m., a shift from his earlier, more packed agendas.
The article also referenced an October incident where Trump appeared to momentarily nod off during a meeting in the Oval Office. Additionally, it noted that Trump voluntarily disclosed undergoing an MRI scan that same month, raising questions about his physical condition.
In response, the president took to Truth Social on Wednesday to rebuke the article and its implications. Writing in all caps, Trump said: “There will be a day when I run low on Energy, it happens to everyone, but with a PERFECT PHYSICAL EXAM AND A COMPREHENSIVE COGNITIVE TEST (‘That was aced’) JUST RECENTLY TAKEN, it certainly is not now!”
Trump also claimed the article was intentionally misleading and politically motivated. “The Radical Left Lunatics in the soon to fold New York Times did a hit piece on me that I am perhaps losing my Energy, despite facts that show the exact opposite,” he wrote. “They know this is wrong, as is almost every thing that they write about me, including election results, ALL PURPOSELY NEGATIVE.”
This latest criticism is part of Trump’s long-running hostility toward The New York Times, which he has consistently accused of bias and partisanship. In September, the president filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the paper, accusing it of operating as “a fullthroated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party.” Although that lawsuit was swiftly dismissed by a judge, Trump filed an amended complaint in October, continuing his legal pursuit.
The New York Times stood by its reporting. Charlie Stadtlander, a spokesperson for the publication, responded in a statement:
“The Times’s reporting is accurate and built on first-hand reporting of the facts. Name-calling and personal insults don’t change that, nor will our journalists hesitate to cover this administration in the face of intimidation tactics like this.”
The story adds to a broader conversation happening nationally around the age and capacity of both major party candidates. With the 2024 election in the rearview and a possible 2028 campaign on the horizon, questions about aging leadership in U.S. politics are increasingly common.
Trump’s public insistence that he remains physically and mentally sharp appears aimed at reassuring both his base and critics that he is still fully capable of leading. He emphasized that his recent health assessments came back clear and that he “aced” a cognitive test, a boast he has made in the past during his first presidency.
Political analysts say Trump’s aggressive pushback is consistent with his media strategy, which often involves reframing narratives through direct communication with his supporters. By calling the Times a failing institution and doubling down on his own version of events, Trump continues to cast himself as embattled by media forces — a central theme in his political identity.
Whether the criticisms raised by the article will resonate with voters or fade into the background remains to be seen. However, with Trump still dominating headlines and pushing back fiercely on any challenge to his image, his message is clear: he’s not slowing down, and he wants the public to know it.
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