Over the weekend, President Trump took an unscheduled trip to the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Speculation that he’d had some sort of medical emergency quickly hit social media.
Dr. David Scheiner, who served as primary physician to former president Barack Obama during his two terms, said on CNN that there is more to the story.
“Maybe he had chest pain,” he said in a Monday night interview with “Outfront” anchor Erin Burnett. “Maybe he had some neurologic — I think he is someone who has some neurological issues which no one has ever really addressed.”
“Later in the interview, he went into some detail explaining his diagnosis, which seems to come entirely from watching President Trump on television,” Mediaite reported.
“He is having trouble word-finding when he said united shush instead of the United States. These are words, he can’t find them,” Schneider noted. “This is happening over and over again. Comedians joke about it. It’s not a joking matter. I think there’s a neurological issue that’s not being addressed. If he had an MRI of his head over there, I would be very pleased. I think he needs it.
Others also put forward conspiracy theories over the weekend.
Joe Lockhart, press secretary to former President Bill Clinton, said the president’s visit to Walter Reed was not routine.
“Saturday was anything but normal … you shouldn’t believe … Trump went up to Walter Reed for routine blood tests … If @realDonaldTrump trip to the Hispital [sic] was just an exam and bloodwork, all of that could have been done at the White House,” Lockhart said over the weekend in a series of posts on Twitter, ABC7 reported. “In fact most medical procedures can be done at the White House where there is a state of the art medical facility.”
But the White House put that all to rest late Monday, issuing a statement that said the president’s visit was simply part of a “routine” checkup.
The statement, written by Navy Commander Sean Conley, was released by White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham.
“Despite some of the speculation, the President has not had any chest pain, nor was he evaluated or treated for any urgent or acute issues,” Conley wrote in the letter. “Specifically, he did not undergo any specialized cardiac or neurological evaluations.”
Conley called the visit a “routine, planned interim checkup” and said it included a “little more than an hour of examination, labs, and discussion.” Conley said the president’s cholesterol level is now 165, within a healthy range and down from 196 earlier this year.
The letter also said the visit was kept “off the record” because of Trump’s busy schedule.
“Anticipating a very busy 2020, the President is taking advantage of a free weekend here in Washington, D.C., to begin portions of his routine annual physical exam at Walter Reed,” Grisham said in a statement Saturday. “The president remains healthy and energetic without complaints,” she added, noting his “vigorous rally performances.”
Grisham also rejected the speculation that Trump’s health is suspect. “I’ve given plenty of on the record statements that were truthful and accurate — actively trying to find and report conspiracy theories really needs to stop,” Grisham said.
Still, Lockhart persisted. “Grisham sought to further dispel the speculation that built over the weekend, saying she would not discuss the president’s ‘security and movement protocols,’ and pushing back against those questioning the veracity of her prior statements on the president’s good health,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I hardly think this shuts this down. White House has no credibility left. Let’s here [sic] from the Doctors at Walter Reed,” he wrote.
After his annual exam in 2018, his doctor said he passed with flying colors.
“He has incredible cardiac fitness at this point in his life,” said Dr. Ronny Jackson, who conducted the routine physical examination. Jackson said the exam took four hours and included a dozen other medical personnel for a series of tests.
The doctor said Trump’s lifelong abstinence of alcohol and tobacco has led to his excellent health. And Jackson also said Trump simply “has incredibly good genes. It’s just the way God made him.”
Jackson said Trump asked to take a cognitive exam during the session. The doctor used “The Montreal Cognitive Assessment,” which screened for Alzheimer’s and dementia, among other illnesses. Trump scored 30 out of 30. “The cognitive test, it’s well-respected. It’s a test that’s used throughout the United States,” he said. “The fact that the president got 30/30 on that exam, there’s no indication whatsoever that he has any cognitive issues.”