Health fears are looming larger than ever for President Donald Trump as he prepares to turn 80 years old this weekend.
Assuming office at 78 years and 7 months old, Trump is the oldest person ever elected and will soon be one of only two presidents to turn 80 in office, accompanied only by Joe Biden.
As his birthday creeps closer, no one wants to talk about it less than Trump himself, even denying the day exists.
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“There’s a certain point at which you don’t want to hear ‘Happy Birthday,'” Trump said at a Las Vegas rally in 2024. “You just want to pretend the day doesn’t exist.”
This wasn’t the first time Trump spoke shyly about his age. “Just remember what I’m telling you: 78 is not old,” Trump told the New York Post in 2022.
White House’s official Rapid Response team denied the sleeping allegation -Credit:Getty
This all comes after years of Trump chastising Biden for his age, repeatedly calling him “Sleepy Joe.”
Just this week, President Trump was caught appearing to nod off at Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Video footage shows the president sitting with hands folded and eyes shut. For roughly 45 seconds, his head tilted downward before he suddenly awoke, glancing around to refocus on the game.
Viewers also noted Trump’s bruised hands at the game. Journalist Aaron Rupar tweeted an image of Trump’s hand in the arena, captioning it, “Trump, with his afflicted right hand visible, stands during the national anthem while at MSG for the NBA Finals.”
Large, dark bruising on the back of Trump’s right hand, which first appeared early in his second term, has prompted intense public examination of the president’s health over the last year.
Trump blamed aspirin for large bruises on his hand and denied falling asleep while attending public meetings in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on January 1, 2026. -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
His diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency last summer may explain the president’s bruising and the recurring swelling observed in his ankles and feet, sparking additional concerns about the president’s fitness to serve.
Trump’s physical health isn’t the only aspect Americans are worried about, but his cognitive state as well. Just this week, the president angrily stormed out of an interview “because it was raining.”
While speaking with Kristen Welker, Trump grew agitated by her questioning, ripped off his microphone, stomped on it, and walked out of the room. “You’re crooked, and Meet the Press is crooked, and so is ABC and CBS and CNN,” he scolded.
During his second term, Trump disclosed three clinic visits following speculation regarding his swollen ankles, hand bruising, and erratic behavior. In October, he revealed that one visit included an MRI but refused to specify the target area beyond stating it was not his brain. “It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it,” he said.
President Donald Trump attends an NBA Finals playoff basketball game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden -Credit:AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Trump frequently cites his Montreal Cognitive Assessment performance as evidence of intelligence, though clinicians note the test is designed to screen for cognitive impairment. His claim of taking the test three times has sparked concern among experts like Dr. John Gartner, who suggests such frequent testing may indicate dementia monitoring rather than simple screening, especially given Trump’s recent public displays of confusion and aggression.
A three-page health summary released Friday night declared Donald Trump in “excellent health,” yet medical experts remain skeptical due to a lack of supporting data.