Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, MD, the official Physician to the President, briefs the press at 3:30 p.m. ET Tuesday on the status of President Trump’s health. He examined the Mr. Trump for three hours last Friday, according to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, marking his first medical check-up since becoming president.
“The President’s physical exam today at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center went exceptionally well,” Jackson said on Friday, according to Sanders. “The President is in excellent health and I look forward to briefing some of the details on Tuesday.”
While the presidential check-up is a routine practice, the briefing comes amid heightened questions of Mr. Trump’s mental fitness. The president, who is 71, is a known teetotaller, but has a penchant for fast food.
Capt. Jeffrey Kuhlman conducted Barack Obama’s first physical as president. His assessment, released February 28, 2010, found Obama in “excellent health and ‘fit for duty,'” and he added, “All clinical data indicate that he will remain so for the duration of his Presidency.” Kuhlman recommended that he continue efforts to quit smoking, lower his LDL cholesterol to below 130, among other things, and continue strengthening exercises for chronic tendonitis.
By the time he left office, Obama, who, like Mr. Trump, was then examined by Jackson, had lowered his cholesterol level, improved his lean body mass through his healthy diet and daily exercise, and remained tobacco-free. Jackson pronounced Obama to be in “excellent” — even “improved” — health.
According to Obama’s last physical, when he was 54 1/2 years old, he was 6′ 1 1/2″, 175 pounds with a body mass index of 22.8, resting heart rate of 56 bpm and blood pressure of 110/68 mm HG. His LDL cholesteral was 125, with a total cholesteral reading of 188.
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The exam lasted 4 hours, had 12 consultants
The exam lasted longer than four hours and there were 12 consultants involved with the his assessment.
Jackson said that Mr. Trump was very comfortable with his health information being shared with the public.
“Overall, he has very, very good health,” Jackson said.
“He has incredible genes”
Jackson said that despite Mr. Trump’s love of fast food and lack of exercise, he is in excellent health, perhaps, because of his “incredible genes.”
“That’s just the way God made him,” Jackson said.
He said that since coming to the White House, Mr. Trump’s diet has improved as a result of consuming the White House chefs’ menu.
The president is “very independent” with his health
“He is a good patient,” Jackson said, adding that Mr. Trump is sometimes inquisitive toward his medical advice.
Trump is “absolutely” fit for duty
Jackson said that Mr. Trump is “absolutely” fit for duty, and that based on his assessment, he predicted the president would be physically fit enough to serve another term in office, should he choose to run for re-election.
Trump’s cardiac health is “excellent”
Jackson said that while the rest of Mr. Trump’s health results were good or normal, his cardiac health stood out to him as “excellent.”
Jackson did an in-depth examination of Mr. Trump’s heart health in order to prescribe an exercise regimen for the president. The president does not currently have a daily exercise plan.
Jackson says Trump’s cognitive test was normal
Jackson said that he “didn’t think it was clinically indicated” based on his conversations and interactions with Mr. Trump to run extra tests.
“I’ve found no reason whatsoever to think that the president has any issues whatsoever with his thought process,” he said.
Mr. Trump took the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which is often referred to as “MoCA.” He received a 30/30 on the test– which would have detected any serious mental impairments, such as alzheimer’s disease. Anything scored above 26 is considered to be healthy.
“He has absolutely no cognitive or mental issues whatsoever,” he said.
Jackson explained that this cognitive screening is different from a psychiatric exam.
Jackson suggests Trump should lose 10-15 lbs., lower cholesterol:
Jackson said that the president is more focused on the diet aspect of weight loss than the exercise portion, but that he plans to work with the president in developing a plan to tackle the excess weight.
Jackson says that he also aims to lower Mr. Trump’s cholesterol.
Jackson lists Trump’s medications:
Jackson said that Mr. Trump takes the following medications:
- Crestor, for lowering cholestoral
- Asprin
- Propecia, for hair loss
- Soolantra, Cream for rosacea
Jackson reads the summary of Trump’s physical:
President Trump completed his physical last Friday, January 12, 2018. Jackson listed the results of Mr. Trump’s physical, which found that Mr. Trump is in a normal, healthy condition. The physical found that he weighs 239 lbs., with a normal cognitive screening exam and healthy cardiac results.
The full results of the president’s medical exam will be released at the conclusion of the briefing.
Briefing begins:
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders introduced Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson. She explained that Jackson has worked with presidents of both parties, including former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
