Former President Donald Trump has been compelled to publicly address mounting concerns about his physical wellbeing after attendees at a major briefing noted his unusually hoarse voice.
Oval Office Incident Sparks Questions
The issue came to light during a meeting in the Oval Office concerning preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As Trump spoke with officials and reporters, his voice sounded distinctly raspy, prompting direct questioning about his condition.
One attendee did not hesitate to ask: "Your voice sounds rough, are you feeling alright?" Trump offered a colourful explanation for the vocal issue, replying: "I was shouting at people because they were stupid about something having to do with trade in a country."
The exchange took a more serious turn when a journalist's follow-up comment was misheard by the 79-year-old leader. "What? I thought you said there was a polyp - I don't want to hear that," Trump quipped, revealing underlying sensitivity about health speculation.
Defending Medical Procedures and Results
This incident follows Trump's recent live appearance on Fox News aboard Air Force One, where he was questioned about undergoing an MRI scan. He sought to normalise the procedure, stating: "Because it was part of my physical. Getting an MRI is very standard."
When pressed on whether he should have undergone the scan, Trump emphasised the positive outcome. "The doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor," he claimed, adding that the MRI was part of his standard medical evaluation, though he admitted uncertainty about whether his brain or heart was examined.
His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, later confirmed that Trump had been "assessed by radiologist and consultants" at the prestigious Walter Reed Medical Centre. She asserted that these medical professionals had determined the former president was in "exceptional physical health".
Medical Professionals Voice Contrasting Concerns
Despite these official assurances, some medical experts have expressed significant concerns about both Trump's physical and mental capacity. In August, John Gartner, a former assistant professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, claimed to have identified potential signs of dementia.
Gartner conducted a comparative analysis of Trump's behaviour, examining footage from the 1980s against his current conduct. "What we see are the classic signs of dementia, which is gross deterioration from someone's baseline and function," Gartner explained. "If you go back and look at film from the 1980s, [Trump] actually was extremely articulate."
He elaborated further, noting a significant decline: "He was still a jerk, but he was able to express himself in polished paragraphs, and now he really has trouble completing a thought and that is a huge deterioration."
These concerns stand in direct contrast to the assessment provided by the White House. At the beginning of this year, White House physician Dr Sean Barbadella stated unequivocally that the US leader was in "excellent cognitive and physical health".
Speculation about the health of the 79-year-old leader has been widespread since he returned to the Oval Office earlier this year, ensuring this topic remains a focal point of political discourse.
