President Donald Trump recently told The Wall Street Journal that he takes a higher dose of aspirin than his doctors recommend, some 325 milligrams, while speaking to the publication about his health.
This figure shocked Dr. Jeremy Faust, the editor in chief of Medpage Today, who is also an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School. Speaking on CNN’s “The Arena” on New Year’s Day, he likened the figure to the amount that would be given to “prevent a heart attack.”
Why It Matters
Trump assumed office at the age of 78, making him the oldest man to take the office of the president. He turned 79 in June, and speculation about his health and advancing age has subsequently been prompted.
He has been seen in public with visible blemishes and bruises, and has been photographed or filmed with his eyes closed while sitting in a chair.
His second presidential term came after an election cycle where age was hotly contested. Former President Joe Biden ultimately dropped out of the race following intense and continued scrutiny about his age, including by Trump himself.
Questions and scrutiny over Biden’s health plagued the former president, and this has, in turn, helped to build an environment when any sign of infirmity becomes a flashpoint for both supporters and critics.
What To Know
The president told the WSJ: “They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
The outlet reported that Trump said he takes 325 mg of aspirin a day, citing the president’s physician.
Faust discussed this while on CNN, as well as the piece more broadly. Of the piece generally, he said, “I think that most of what we saw was a fleshing out of much of what we already knew.”
“The interesting piece of information, especially as an emergency clinician, was that this gentleman was taking 325 mg of aspirin per day,” Faust said.
Faust described the dose as a “dose … for patients who are having a heart attack, and, some very, very high-risk patients might be maintained on that after a stroke or a heart attack, but it’s pretty unusual.”
And it’s not just Faust that the comments alarmed. Social media users and critics of Trump were quick to share skepticism over the president’s health online.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social: “The White House Doctors have just reported that I am in ‘PERFECT HEALTH’ and that I ‘ACED’ (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my Cognitive Examination, something which no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take. P.S., I strongly believe that anyone running for President, or Vice President, should be mandatorily forced to take a strong, meaningful, and proven Cognitive Examination. Our great Country cannot be run by “STUPID” or INCOMPETENT PEOPLE! President DJT.”
Adam Mockler, a journalist for the left-wing MeidasTouch network, in a post on X: “Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s hands were bruised from ‘shaking hands’. Then the bruising appeared on his left hand. Now Trump admits it’s ‘thinning skin’ and aspirin overuse. They’re lying to your face to cover up his health decline.”
Harry Sisson, a liberal political commentator, in a post on X: “So Trump takes 4x the daily recommended dose of aspirin, doesn’t sleep, still eats McDonald’s regularly, has hearing issues, says exercise is ‘boring,’ has bruising on his hands because his skin has become delicate, and more… but MAGA says he’s healthy? LOL.”
Paul A. Szypula, an animator and right-wing online commentator, in a post on X: “President Trump is 79 and is in better shape than most people half his age.”
What Happens Next?
Speculation over the president’s health is likely to continue throughout his second term, particularly given the combination of the history of scrutiny over his predecessor and his age.
