With health under scrutiny, US President Trump focuses on legacy and how history will judge him

Trump’s legacy focus amid growing health scrutiny

US President Donald Trump’s age and health are once again under scrutiny, as aides, family members and the White House itself offer competing narratives about stamina, legacy and physical decline, even as Trump insists he is in perfect shape.

According to a report by New York Magazine, the soon-to-be octogenarian president has increasingly been reflecting on “what he will be remembered for,” despite repeatedly dismissing concerns about his health.

Even the new ballroom under construction at the White House is framed as part of that legacy-building effort. “The ballroom is about leaving a legacy here,” a senior White House official told New York Magazine.

At the same time, the administration has sought to project an image of exceptional vitality. The White House has portrayed Trump as “The Superhuman President,” with aides insisting his energy levels surpass those of most people his age. “He can work harder and he has a better memory and he has more stamina and has more energy than a normal mortal,” Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said.

Yet the New York Magazine report suggests a more complicated picture. Trump has reportedly stopped dyeing his hair blond and now lets it turn white naturally. More significantly, a senior staff member told the publication that Trump’s hearing “isn’t what it used to be”.

Questions were further raised after Trump appeared unable to recall the word “Alzheimer’s” when speaking about his father’s health. “At a certain age, about 86, 87, he started getting, what do they call it?” Trump said, pointing to his forehead and glancing toward White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Trump’s son Eric Trump said his father avoids dwelling on mortality. He described the president as superstitious and said he prefers focusing on the present. “Is it in some way on everybody’s mind? Of course. But he believes, and so do I, he has a lot of years left,” Eric Trump said.

Speculation has nevertheless intensified online, with armchair physicians on social media claiming Trump has only months to live, based on recent disclosures and physical observations.

In late 2025, Trump told reporters he had undergone an MRI that was “perfect,” before later admitting he had “no idea” which part of his body was scanned. His physician subsequently clarified that the test was a CT scan of the chest and abdomen, not an MRI.

The White House has attributed the frequent bruising visible on the back of Trump’s hands to “frequent handshaking” and his daily use of high-dose aspirin. Trump has also been diagnosed with a condition affecting leg veins that makes it harder for blood to return to the heart, resulting in visibly swollen ankles.

Trump has disclosed that he takes 325 mg of aspirin daily — well above the commonly recommended 81 mg dose for heart health — despite doctors advising him to reduce it.

He has also rejected claims that he falls asleep during Cabinet meetings, insisting he is merely “resting his eyes” or that cameras catch him “blinking”.