A White House physician said Monday that he ordered magnetic resonance imaging of President Trump as a routine check to ensure he is in good cardiovascular and abdominal health.
The memo from Dr. Sean P. Barbabella ends weeks of mystery around the MRI that Mr. Trump received in October.
Mr. Trump late Sunday said he wasn’t even sure which part of his body was scanned, but added he had no problem releasing the results.
Dr. Barbabella said Mr. Trump’s cardiovascular imaging is “perfectly normal” and there was no evidence of narrowing arteries or abnormalities. His heart chambers are normal, and his vessel walls are in good shape, he added.
“Overall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health,” the doctor wrote in a memo released by the White House.
Dr. Barbabella said the abdominal imaging revealed no concerns.
“Everything evaluated is functioning within normal limits with no acute or chronic concerns,” the doctor wrote.
The memo was released to end speculation about Mr. Trump’s health and the lack of clarity about what the MRI was for, exactly, since the president did not seem to know.
“Has anyone in the history of the world ever had an MRI assigned to them and have no idea what it was for, as he says?” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
Dr. Barbabella said he ordered the MRI as a preventive measure for persons in the president’s age group. Mr. Trump is 79.
He is the oldest person ever to be inaugurated president, and photographs from earlier this year showed bruising on his hand and swollen legs.
The White House insisted the president was in great health, citing his public schedule and willingness to take questions from reporters.
Mr. Trump often boasts about his cognitive abilities. He contrasts them with those of his predecessor, President Joseph R. Biden, who faced questions about his ability to keep up with the job.
