Former President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on his White House physicians, labelling an MRI scan he underwent last year as the "worst f***ing thing I ever did." The explosive comments came during a revealing interview where Trump expressed fury over the medical procedure that ignited widespread speculation about his health.
Trump's Fury Over Medical Examination
In October, Trump revealed for the first time that he had undergone an MRI procedure during a hospital visit to Walter Reed Medical Center. This marked his second medical examination within a year, despite the former president turning 80 in June and being declared in "excellent health" following the scan.
"It was the worst f***ing thing I ever did, and I blame them," Trump told New York Magazine's Ben Terris during a December Oval Office interview, pointing directly at White House physicians Captain Sean Barbabella and Lieutenant Colonel James Jones.
Doctors Defend Routine Procedure
The White House physicians have maintained that the imaging was part of standard preventative care for someone of Trump's age. Jones clarified that while Trump had an appointment scheduled at Walter Reed, the procedure wasn't actually a traditional MRI but rather an "MRI-like" examination of his chest and abdomen.
"While he was there, I asked him if we could complete some additional physical things that we were planning on doing annually," Jones explained. "And he was like, 'Okay. We will work it in for time schedules.' It wasn't actually an MRI."
Perfect Results Amidst Political Speculation
Both physicians emphasized that the test results were "excellent" and showed Trump in good condition. Barbabella stated in an early December summary that Trump's "cardiovascular imaging is perfectly normal" with "no evidence of arterial narrowing impairing blood flow or abnormalities in the heart or major vessels."
"The story should be about the fact that the results were, uh, perfect. They did not demonstrate any problems," Barbabella told the magazine.
Trump's Concerns About Doctor Loyalty
Trump revealed deeper concerns about the physicians' allegiance, noting that they work across different presidential administrations. "I love these two guys; they're great but I don't know them. They're White House doctors," Trump said, highlighting the unique position of medical staff serving multiple presidents.
Jones previously worked for several years under President Barack Obama as a senior medical leader. When asked during the interview who was healthier between Obama and Trump, Jones immediately responded: "President Trump."
Health Rumours and Public Scrutiny
The MRI controversy emerged amidst growing speculation about Trump's health throughout the early months of his second term. Concerns intensified after photos showed Trump with a large bruise on his left hand during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and earlier observations of swollen legs and ankles.
In July, the White House revealed Trump had been diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency, a condition where leg veins struggle to send blood back to the heart efficiently. However, physicians maintained this was manageable and didn't affect his overall health.
Mental Fitness and Age Questions
Trump also addressed concerns about cognitive decline during the interview, though he momentarily forgot the name of Alzheimer's disease while discussing his father's dementia. "He had one problem," Trump said of his father, real estate developer Fred Trump. "At a certain age, about 86, 87, he started getting, what do they call it?"
After White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt supplied "Alzheimer's," Trump insisted: "Well, I don't have it." The president boasted that he felt "the same as I did 40 years ago" and dismissed health concerns as politically motivated.
Staff Testimonies and Superhuman Claims
White House staff members rallied to defend Trump's vitality. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told the magazine: "He can work harder and he has a better memory and he has more stamina and has more energy than a normal mortal. The headline of your story should be 'The Superhuman President.'"
Jones added remarkable details about Trump's physical metrics, stating that his EKG readings suggested he was "14 years younger" than his chronological age. "So age 65. His stamina demonstrates that. We get a view that nobody else does. Nobody can stay up with him," Jones said.
Legal Threats and Media Frustration
Trump expressed significant irritation with the ongoing health speculation, threatening legal action against New York Magazine if they published what he considered a "bad story" about his health. "I hate to waste a lot of time on this, but if you're going to write a bad story about my health, I'm going to sue the a** off of New York Magazine," Trump warned.
The former president suggested there might be a more appropriate time for such discussions, saying: "There will be a time when you can write that story, maybe in two years, three years, five years - five years, no one is going to care, I guess."
Standard Procedure for Executive Health
Medical professionals have emphasized that the level of detailed assessment Trump received is standard for executive physicals at his age. Barbabella explained: "As part of President Donald J Trump's comprehensive executive physical, advanced imaging was performed because men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health."
The purpose, according to physicians, is purely preventive: to identify potential issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure long-term vitality and function. Despite the perfect results, Trump remained frustrated that the procedure had created unnecessary speculation.
"They wanted me to take it. And because I took it, people want to say, 'Oh, there must be something wrong,'" Trump lamented, capturing the tension between medical prudence and political perception that continues to surround presidential health matters.
