USA Aspirin, little sleep: debate about Trump's fitness
Reports about US President Donald Trump's state of health have sparked renewed debate in the USA: Are these normal signs of ageing in a 79-year-old or warning signs of an overburdened head of state? Now the Republican himself has once again taken a stand on the issue.
01.01.2026, 20:58
SDA
In an interview with the "Wall Street Journal", Trump admitted that he has been taking a higher dose of aspirin every day than recommended by doctors for years. "They say aspirin is good for thinning the blood, and I don't want thick blood running through my heart," he said. He is "a little superstitious". However, taking it causes him to bruise easily. Trump had tried to hide these cosmetically several times in the past.
When Attorney General Pam Bondi grazed the back of his hand with a ring at a recent event, he also suffered a small cut. Together with swelling on Trump's knuckles, this led to renewed speculation in the US media about the President's state of health.
Doctors attest to good health
In the fall, Trump had a medical examination carried out, as he confirmed to the WSJ. This involved a computerized tomography (CT) scan, an imaging body scan, which showed no abnormalities, according to a statement from his doctor to the newspaper.
Trump's doctor explained that the scan had only been carried out to "definitively rule out" possible cardiovascular problems and that the president was fully fit for work. He takes aspirin purely as a preventative measure. The White House also stated that the president was in "excellent health". In the interview, Trump nevertheless expressed regret about the investigation: in retrospect, it was a "shame" to agree to it, as it had triggered public speculation.
Heavy workload despite age and lifestyle
By his own admission, Trump sleeps little and starts his working days early. Observers recently reported that he sometimes closed his eyes during public appointments. In the "Wall Street Journal", the President rejected reports that he had fallen asleep. He spoke of moments of relaxation or boredom.
According to his own statements, the Republican does not exercise regularly - with the exception of golf. His diet is considered high in calories, fat and salt, and a Republican traveling companion recently expressed shock at the amount of highly processed food he saw the president eating, as described by the WSJ. He doesn't want to change anything about that, Trump said in the interview. He has "good genes" and a lot of energy.
Public image cultivation
The discussion is reminiscent of earlier debates about the age of political leaders, debates that Trump himself had often initiated. He repeatedly expressed doubts about the fitness for office of his predecessor Joe Biden. When he took office, Biden was only a few months younger than Trump is today.
Even against this backdrop, Trump clearly attaches great importance to the public presentation of his health. The President admitted to using make-up to conceal injuries or bruises. According to media reports, employees also take care to shorten presentations and avoid public images that could suggest fatigue or weakness in the President's health.
Medical doctor Mehmet Oz told the Wall Street Journal that Trump appears mentally present and confident on complex issues. Political decisions could be discussed - he did not see any signs of mental impairment.
