Concerns are growing about President Donald Trump’s health after he revealed he recently underwent an MRI.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist who treated former Vice President Dick Cheney and now teaches at George Washington University, said there could be multiple reasons for the scan. He added that the public has a right to know why the president had the test and what the results revealed.
“Typically, they’re prompted by symptoms,” Reiner explained. “They can be neurologic symptoms that prompt an MRI. They could be back pain. There can be issues with the heart. And for those reasons, the public should really be told why the president underwent the test, what consultants he saw, and what was the result of the testing?”
Trump, 79, confirmed the MRI himself on Monday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. “I got an MRI,” he said. “It was perfect.”
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When pressed about the reason for the scan, Trump deferred to his doctors. “I gave you the full results,” he said. “We had an MRI… you know the whole thing. And it was perfect.” He added that he would inform the press if he ever received negative news about his mental or physical fitness.
The last official report on Trump’s health came in a one-page memo after his October 10 visit to Walter Reed Medical Center. It described the president as being in “excellent overall health” and said he had undergone “advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventative health assessments.”
When asked what the “advanced imaging” included this month, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was part of a routine health check.
Experts disagree. Dr. Reiner stressed that MRIs are never routine. “An MRI is never part of a routine evaluation, whether you’re president of the United States or just a civilian,” he said.
Dr. Vin Gupta, a public health physician, agreed, posting on X: “Even if you are leader of the free world, you don’t just get an MRI without a clear reason. There’s no such thing as a “screening” MRI.”
Even if you are leader of the free world, you don’t just get an MRI without a clear reason to do so.
There’s no such thing as a “screening” MRI.
— Dr. Vin Gupta (@VinGuptaMD) October 27, 2025
Reiner said the key question is what symptom prompted the scan. Trump has shown signs this year that have drawn attention to his health, including bruised hands, swollen ankles, a droopy face, difficulty walking in a straight line, memory lapses, and trouble climbing stairs.
The White House has occasionally addressed these issues. In July, it disclosed that Trump suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, a circulatory condition in the legs.
Reiner suggested there could be a connection between Trump’s bruising and the MRI. “There are a lot of things that can cause bruising,” he said. “The most common reason in someone his age is medications, often blood thinners.”
He explained that blood thinners are given for various conditions, including a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the leg, or atrial fibrillation. Bruising is a common side effect.
Reiner added that the underlying condition prompting the medication might also explain why doctors ordered an MRI. “It is just as important why he had the test as what the test showed,” he said.
Featured image via X screengrab
