CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner on Monday criticized the White House for lacking transparency regarding President Donald Trump's health, ahead of his scheduled 'routine' examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday. This will be the president's third 'annual' exam in just 13 months.
Lack of Candor from the White House
'This White House just doesn't seem to want to acknowledge any physical ailment, but older people develop medical issues, and the president is almost 80 years old,' Reiner told The Washington Post. 'There just seems to be a lack of candor from the White House.'
Swollen Ankles and Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Trump has had visibly swollen ankles, or 'cankles,' which the White House last year attributed to chronic venous insufficiency, a common and often benign condition involving poor blood flow from the legs to the heart. This can cause blood to pool in the legs and feet, as seen in a July 2025 photo of Trump's ankle.
Reiner called on the White House to disclose details about how and when the condition developed, especially since it was not noted during his April 2025 examination at Walter Reed. He told the Post that if the condition appeared suddenly after that visit, it could be due to acute edema, which 'usually warrants an in-depth evaluation to make sure that you don't have conditions like congestive heart failure.'
Bruising and Aspirin Use
Trump, who turns 80 next month, has often had bruises on his hand, which the White House has said is from aspirin use and frequent hand-shaking. Reiner has previously questioned this, calling Trump's 325 mg per day of aspirin an 'unorthodox' dose. 'Not only is there no benefit in terms of just primary prevention — trying to prevent a cardiac event by giving them aspirin — that there can be hazard,' he told The Wall Street Journal. 'And the hazard can be bleeding, significant bleeding.' Trump often uses cosmetics to cover up the bruising on his hand.
Calls for Sleep Apnea Evaluation
Reiner, who previously served as cardiologist to Vice President Dick Cheney, has been vocal about Trump's health. He has called for Trump to be examined for sleep apnea given his tendency to seemingly doze during meetings. 'Repeatedly falling asleep with a dozen people surrounding your desk is not normal,' he said on X earlier this year. 'It needs to be evaluated.'
Frequent Medical Visits
Trump's Tuesday visit to Walter Reed will be his third annual physical in 13 months, after he had two 'annual' medical visits in 2025, in April and again in October. Trump said after the second visit that he had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test, which he called 'perfect' without providing specifics. He later said it was actually a CT scan, but added that he didn't know which part of the body was scanned. His doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, later said it was 'to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues' and called the results 'perfectly normal.'
Dental Visits
The White House has said Trump will also see a dentist while at Walter Reed on Tuesday, which would be his third dental visit this year. His two previous dental visits were in Florida in January and again earlier this month. The White House did not disclose what dental work the president had done other than state that the visits were 'scheduled dental appointments.'
Cognitive Tests
Trump has also said he has taken three cognitive tests. 'No president, think of this, has ever taken one,' he bragged earlier this month, saying he 'aced' each of them.
