Donald Trump is scheduled to go to the Walter Reed Medical Centre tomorrow for another medical checkup as concerns for his health swirl.
Tomorrow’s visit will mark his third hospital visit in 13 months – this time, for a routine medical and dental check-up.
Trump is notably tight-lipped about his health, the subject of both speculation and concern, both in his first and second terms.
The President last went to Walter Reed last April, and later went back for a ‘follow-up’.
That follow-up appointment was later confirmed to be a CT scan, to ‘rule out any cardiovascular issues’.
But Trump’s bruised hands and a recent neck rash have sparked concern among his supporters and critics.
In July 2025, he was seen struggling to stay awake while Medicare administrator Dr Mehmet Oz began talking about healthcare.
And in May last year, he fell asleep with his mouth open as a star witness took the stand during his hush money trial.
Trump, almost 80, insisted his recurring bruising is because he takes around 325mg of aspirin daily to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
Trump said: ‘I would say take aspirin if you like your heart. But don’t take aspirin if you don’t want to have a little bruising. I take the big aspirin.
‘And when you take the big aspirin, they tell you you’ll bruise.’
The Republican leader has taken high doses of aspirin for well over two decades, despite evidence suggesting the painkiller has few benefits for people without a history of heart problems.
The president being spotted with bruises on his hand is nothing new – he’s openly said he slathers his hand with makeup to hide them.
While Trump has chalked his bruises up to aspirin, the White House has claimed the blotches are from ‘frequent handshaking’.
Observers have suspected the marks were caused by IV drips, thin skin or the president’s age – he is the oldest president in US history.
In July last year, Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which veins have trouble moving blood back to the heart.
White House physician Sean Barbabella has continued to stress that Trump is in ‘excellent’ physical health.
Despite these reassurances, the American public is doubting Trump’s health. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found 40% of Americans thought Trump had the mental sharpness to serve as president, down from 47% last September.
Last September, photographs of what appeared to be road closures near the Walter Reed National Military Hospital circulated on X after Trump disappeared from the public eye for a few days.
Similar rumours spread when Joe Biden wasn’t seen for a few days in 2024, with Republican pundits posting questions about his whereabouts online.
Walter Reed Hospital is commonly used by Washington politicians and has treated many U.S. presidents before. It’s likely that if anything did happen to Trump, he would receive treatment there.