The Controversy Over Donald Trump’s Absent Medical Records, Explained

President Donald Trump is set to receive the first physical of his second presidential term on Friday, April 11, at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The appointment comes after long-standing calls for Trump, 78, to release his medical records—calls that gathered pace during the 2024 presidential election.

“I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!” Trump said, announcing the “long-scheduled” appointment on his social media platform, Truth Social, on April 7.

If the physical follows in the steps of Trump’s 2018 first-term visit, the appointment will likely go over the President’s vital statistics such as his height, weight, heart rate, and blood pressure, as well as addressing other areas such as his cognitive health and heart health. In 2018, Trump’s then-physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson—a Republican Representative from Texas—cited the President’s history of high cholesterol and recommended a change in his diet and exercise regimen.

The findings of the 2025 physical can only be released publicly with Trump’s consent. However, the President has a long-standing history of remaining tight-lipped when it comes to sharing details of his health. Trump’s most recently-shared medical report was incredibly brief and featured in a Nov. 20, 2023, Truth Social post. The update consisted of a screenshot of a letter from Dr. Bruce Aronwald, sharing little detail but saying Trump was in “excellent health.”

Trump notably faced many calls during his campaigning efforts to release his medical records—calls that were never answered in full.

Read More: What We Learned From Kamala Harris’ Medical Report—and Why It’s Significant

During the 2024 presidential election, these calls grew after former Vice President and then-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris released her medical report on Oct. 12. After which, over 200 doctors and health care providers signed an open letter, calling on Trump to follow suit and release his own. The letter, dated Oct. 13 and organized by the group Doctors for Harris, argued that Trump should have had similar transparency “given his advancing age.”

“The American people deserve to have confidence in their elected officials’ mental and physical capacity to do the jobs they’ve elected them to do,” they wrote. “Trump ought to be going above and beyond to provide transparency on his physical health and mental acuity, given his advancing age.”

At 78, Trump is the oldest President to start a second term at the White House.

Read More: Why Biden’s Age Has Become a Bigger Deal Than Trump’s

Harris applied further pressure during a campaign rally in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 25, 2024. She pointed towards the then-topical legal battle of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Republican Texas leaders to access the private medical records of patients who seek out-of-state abortions.

“Please do see the irony,” Harris said. “On the one hand, Donald Trump won't let anyone see his medical records. I gave up mine! And on the other hand, they want to get their hands on your medical records.”

In August 2024, Trump said he would “gladly” share his medical records, but he did not end up doing so. In October, amid much talk and mounting pressure from the Harris campaign, when approached by reporters and asked about his medical records, Trump reportedly said the public already had enough information on his health.

“Yeah, my health records—I’ve done five exams over the last four years. You’ve got them all,” he said. “I’ve given my health exams, I’ve also done cognitive tests twice and I’ve aced them.”

In December, during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, host Kristen Welker asked Trump if he would be willing to release his full medical records rather than just a letter.

“I would and I think anybody should,” he said, before adding: “Sure, I have no problem with it.”

Trump’s age became more of a focal point after President Joe Biden, 82, notably dropped out of the presidential election in 2024, amid reports members of his party were concerned over his health and age. Up until then, that focus was largely on Biden.

Read More: What We Do and Don’t Know About Trump’s Ear Wound

On the day Harris released her medical records, the Trump campaign commented on Trump’s own records in a press release.

“President Trump has voluntarily released updates from his personal physician, as well as detailed reports from Dr. Ronny Jackson, who treated him after the first assassination attempt. All have concluded he is in perfect and excellent health to be Commander in Chief,” said Steven Cheung, who served as Trump’s campaign communications director.

After the July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump's medical team remained rather tight-lipped over the extent of his ear wound. Jackson, Trump’s former physician, did write a signed letter released on July 20, stating that the ear wound was caused by a gunshot, and that the wound was “beginning to granulate and heal properly.” Jackson shared a follow-up letter on July 26, providing an update on Trump's ear wound.