Concerns Over Missing Details in Trump’s Medical Report
Some medical professionals are raising questions about the recent White House report detailing President Donald Trump’s medical examination. They argue that the document lacks essential information regarding the results of his cardiovascular tests, which could impact a comprehensive understanding of his health.
Dr. William Shutze, a vascular surgeon from Texas, expressed his concerns to the Wall Street Journal. He highlighted the importance of including details about the carotid ultrasound, noting that most individuals have some level of plaque buildup in their arteries. “If I was creating a report to send to another physician, I would have mentioned a little bit more about the carotid ultrasound,” he said. “What amount of plaque there is going to be—because almost all of us are going to have some buildup there.”
Trump underwent a series of tests at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for his annual medical examination. The process took three hours, and he quickly shared the results, claiming he scored a “perfect 30 out of 30, considered ‘extreme intelligence’” on a cognitive test.
The president’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barabella, released a report on Friday stating that Trump “remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function.” Among the tests conducted was an AI-enhanced electrocardiogram analysis, which estimated the 79-year-old president’s cardiac age as 65.
The report also included results from a coronary CT angiography, used to check for narrowed or blocked arteries in the heart; an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to create an image of the heart; and an ultrasound of the carotid arteries, which Barbabella described as showing normal results.
However, according to doctors cited by the Journal, the White House did not include crucial information typically produced by such tests to support Barbabella’s claims that Trump’s cardiac function is normal. Physicians pointed out that other areas of the report lack sufficient specificity to fully assess Trump’s cardiac health, such as a calcium score, a description of any plaque in the arteries, and a CAD-RADS score to assess narrowing in the arteries.
Instead, the report states there is “no arterial obstruction or structural abnormalities” in the heart of major blood vessels, which doctors say could simply mean there isn’t a blockage.
Missing Information in the Report
Another missing detail from this report – though provided in Trump’s 2018 health report – is the ejection fraction measure taken from the echocardiogram; the percentage of blood pumped with each heart contraction. This metric is essential for assessing how well the heart is functioning.
“President Trump has publicly released more detailed information about his health than any other president in history—showing he is in excellent health,” White House communications director Steven Cheung stated in a written statement. Cheung criticized doctors who speculate about a report for a patient not under their care. There is no legal requirement for presidents to share any health data.
The White House argued that any absence of certain results should be interpreted as confirmation that no clinically meaningful abnormalities were identified.
Presidential health has become a topic of increasing scrutiny as Americans continue to elect aging leaders. Trump is the second-oldest person to occupy the Oval Office, turning 80 later this month. His predecessor, Joe Biden, was 82 when he left the presidency.
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