Trump's Third Walter Reed Visit Raises Health Concerns

US President Donald Trump is set to undergo his third Walter Reed National Military Medical Center appointment within 13 months, as announced by the White House in May 2026. Trump, who will turn 80 in June, faces growing scrutiny over his health from leading cardiologist Jonathan Reiner, who told The Washington Post: "This White House just doesn't seem to want to acknowledge any physical ailment, but older people develop medical issues, and the president is almost 80 years old." Reiner, a professor of medicine and head of the cardiac catheterisation laboratory at The George Washington University Hospital, stated: "There just seems to be a lack of candour from the White House." Presidents typically make one journey to Walter Reed annually, yet Trump made two visits in 2025, one of which he initially claimed was for an MRI but was subsequently disclosed to be for a CT scan.

White House Medical Visit Statement

The White House has maintained that Trump has not undertaken any visits without public knowledge. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated last month: "He has never made an undisclosed visit to Walter Reed."

Chronic Venous Insufficiency Disclosure

The White House revealed in July that Trump suffered from chronic venous insufficiency, an age-related ailment that causes veins to struggle returning blood to the heart, resulting in pooling at the base of the legs and a puffy appearance. Trump's April 2025 medical report made no reference to the condition. Reiner suggested that if the condition developed after the April report, it could indicate acute edema, which "usually warrants an in-depth evaluation to make sure that you don't have conditions like congestive heart failure." There was also no mention of the condition during his medical report from October, according to the Daily Beast.

Hand Bruising Discussion

The wider discussion about Trump's health has centred on repeated bruising on the back of his hands, which the White House has attributed to extensive hand-shaking. Reiner remarked: "We've seen a similar bruise from time to time on his left hand, and I doubt he's shaking hands with his left hand."