Why is President Trump undergoing physical exam amid health concerns

Trump scheduled routine physical exam

US President Donald Trump is scheduled for a physical exam at Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday amid renewed scrutiny over his health, following visible bruising and swelling in recent months.

“On Friday morning, President Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center for a planned meeting and remarks with the troops. While there, President Trump will stop by for his routine yearly check up,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. “President Trump is considering going to the Middle East shortly thereafter.”

Although described as a routine checkup, Trump, 79, underwent an annual physical just six months ago, on April 11. A physician’s note from that visit indicated that the president “remains in excellent health.”

Since April, Trump has been seen with swollen ankles and a persistent bruise on his right hand. The White House previously stated in July that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which damaged vein valves impede blood flow from the legs to the heart. Leavitt called it a “common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” According to the Cleveland Clinic, roughly one in 20 adults are affected.

A subsequent memo from White House physician Sean Barbabella noted that doctors found “no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or arterial disease” and “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified.”

The White House has also attributed the long-lasting bruise on Trump’s hand to “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent hand-shaking” and a side effect of the aspirin therapy he uses as part of cardiovascular prevention.

Trump, the oldest US president ever sworn in, has consistently claimed to be in good health. In a recent interview with Newsmax, he said, “I feel the same or better than I did 30 years ago.”

Leavitt confirmed that after the exam, Trump will return to the White House, but a Middle East trip could follow, where US-led negotiators are working to finalise an Israel-Hamas ceasefire.