Fresh concerns over the health of U.S. President Donald Trump are intensifying after reports revealed he is set to visit Walter Reed Medical Center for the third time in just 13 months.
According to reports, the 79-year-old president is scheduled to undergo medical and dental examinations on Tuesday following previous visits in April and October 2025.
The latest hospital trip has fuelled growing public scrutiny over Trump’s physical condition and mental fitness as he continues serving as the oldest president ever inaugurated in U.S. history.
Questions surrounding Trump’s health have become increasingly louder after he was repeatedly seen in public with bruises on his hands, red marks on his neck and visibly swollen ankles during official appearances.
Photographs from recent White House meetings also appeared to show discolouration on his hands and swelling around his feet.
Trump has previously insisted he remains in “excellent health” and claimed he feels better than he did 30 years ago.
However, public confidence appears to be slipping.
An April Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found only 40 per cent of Americans believed Trump still possesses the mental sharpness needed to serve as president, down seven points from September.
Confidence in his physical fitness also reportedly fell sharply, with only 44 per cent saying he remains physically capable of handling the job.
The issue carries added political weight as Trump repeatedly questioned former president Joe Biden’s mental fitness during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Medical records previously released by the White House revealed Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency last year, a common vein condition that can cause swelling in the legs and ankles.
Trump has also attributed bruising on his hands to taking daily aspirin, which can increase bleeding and bruising risks, particularly among older adults.
The president has denied speculation that he was falling asleep during meetings, insisting he merely closes his eyes while listening to discussions.
Some former White House physicians have publicly criticised the administration for not providing more detailed medical disclosures.
Former cardiologist to Vice President Dick Cheney, Jonathan Reiner, said it was unrealistic to pretend older individuals do not face medical challenges.
“There just seems to be a lack of candour from the White House,” he reportedly said.
Meanwhile, former presidential physician Jeffrey Kuhlman expressed hopes that future health updates would be “transparent and truthful”.
Trump has repeatedly boasted about scoring highly on cognitive assessments, although detailed test results have not been publicly released.
The renewed focus on presidential health has sparked bipartisan calls in Washington for an independent commission to assess the physical and mental fitness of sitting presidents.
Trump’s allies have continued defending his condition, with Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr claiming television personality and physician Mehmet Oz had reviewed Trump’s medical records and described his testosterone levels as unusually high for someone over 70.
At the same time, online speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding Trump’s health have spread rapidly across social media, prompting repeated pushback from the White House.
Earlier this year, the administration was forced to deny rumours that Trump had been rushed to Walter Reed after he briefly disappeared from public view during a military operation briefing.
The White House later accused critics and media outlets of spreading false narratives surrounding the president’s condition.
