Donald Trump regularly brags about his health, his physicals, and how he “aced” various cognitive tests. But a lot of doctors, watching from the sidelines, have some different opinions about that.
This week, HuffPost reported that Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who was the physician to former Vice President Dick Cheney, went on X to declare that Trump “needs to be evaluated.” This came after the president appeared to fall asleep while appearing in the Oval Office with several other people.
“The president seems to be struggling with excessive daytime somnolence,” the doctor, who is a medical analyst for CNN, said on X. “Repeatedly falling asleep with a dozen people surrounding your desk is not normal. It needs to be evaluated.”
The president seems to be struggling with excessive daytime somnolence.
Repeatedly falling asleep with a dozen people surrounding your desk is not normal. It needs to be evaluated. https://t.co/jt1ati3Z39— Jonathan Reiner (@JReinerMD) January 15, 2026
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Trump, in a Wall Street Journal interview this week, addressed his health while denying that he falls asleep in public.
“President Trump is taking more aspirin than his doctors recommend. He briefly tried wearing compression socks for his swelling ankles, but stopped because he didn’t like them. And he regrets undergoing advanced imaging because it generated scrutiny of his health,” the Journal said in its interview.
“Trump, 79, the oldest man to assume the presidency, is showing signs of aging in public and private, according to people close to him. Yet he has at times eschewed the advice of his doctors and scoffed at the medical community’s widely accepted health recommendations, relying instead on what he calls his ‘good genetics.’ Trump and his doctor say he is in excellent health, and aides say he maintains a vigorous schedule.”
When specifically asked about the falling asleep Trump told the Journal that ““I’ll just close. It’s very relaxing to me,” of the times when he has appeared to fall asleep during public events. “Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink.”
The president also discussed what he eats.
“Trump said he hasn’t made changes to his diet. In a podcast interview in October, Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters described being shocked by Trump’s eating habits when they traveled together during the campaign. While flying to a campaign event, according to Gruters, Trump consumed french fries, a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger, a Big Mac and a Filet-O-Fish,” the Journal said.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
