US President Donald Trump was assessed by 22 medical specialists in his latest annual medical examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, according to a memorandum released by the Physician to the President, Sean Barbabella.
This marked the largest number of physicians any president has been examined by in a single checkup, raising concerns among some medical analysts and political commentators about the president’s health as he approaches his 80th birthday, according to a Washington Post analysis.
For reference, this is nearly double the number of specialists who assessed Trump during his prior checkups as president, and more than four times as many as those who assessed former president George H.W. Bush.
A White House official said that the number is necessary to fulfill a “complete and preventative evaluation,” and that “the involvement of multiple specialists reflects a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation consistent with best practices for executive-level medical care,” the Washington Post reported.
“We have nothing to hide,” the official said in the face of public concern over the president’s health.
Physical concerns like bruising, swelling at center of public observation
The three-page memorandum detailed several physical metrics that have been the subject of ongoing public observation.
Trump’s weight was recorded at 238 pounds, reflecting a 14-pound weight gain since his previous examination, and Barbanella noted lower leg swelling, though the report reflected all-around good health for the president.
Bruises on the president’s hands, which caused concern when they were revealed a few months ago, were described away in the report as consistent with irritation “related to frequent handshaking in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention,” representing a “common and benign effect of aspirin therapy.”
“President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,” Dr. Sean Barbabella wrote in the memo, adding that Trump is “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”
