The White House moved to quell widespread rumors on Saturday suggesting that President Donald Trump was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, following speculation about his health online.
Speculation arose after the White House announced at 11:08 a.m. that Trump would not make any public appearances for the rest of the day—a departure from his usual weekend routine of traveling to Mar-a-Lago for golf. Closures of streets in the Washington area further fueled online theories that the president had been taken to the military hospital.
Trump’s personal spokesman, Steven Cheung, addressed the rumors on X, stating, “There has never been a president who has worked harder for the American people than President Trump,” and emphasizing that the president “has been working nonstop in the White House and Oval Office.”
The 79-year-old president previously visited Walter Reed in October for a scheduled MRI scan, which he described as yielding “perfect” results. He did not specify the reason for the scan, though his physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, said it was part of a routine follow-up evaluation including advanced imaging, laboratory tests, and preventative health assessments. Dr. Barbabella added that Trump “continues to demonstrate excellent overall health.”
Trump’s medical history includes a 2025 diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition among older adults in which leg veins do not efficiently return blood to the heart. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that this condition is benign and that recent bruising on the back of the president’s hand is unrelated, resulting instead from frequent handshakes.
Despite the swirling online speculation, the White House reaffirmed that the president remains in good health, with no new medical concerns reported.
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