President Trump on Tuesday lashed out over speculation that he was dealing with an undisclosed health issue in the aftermath of an unannounced visit to Walter Reed medical center.
Trump brought up the state of his health during a Cabinet meeting without being prompted by reporters. He accused the media of spreading inaccurate reports about an undisclosed illness.
“These people are sick. They’re sick. And the press, really in this country, it’s dangerous,” Trump told reporters. “We don’t have freedom of the press in this country. We have the opposite.”
The president said he paid a quick visit to Walter Reed over the weekend for a routine checkup that will be completed in January and to visit with military families and staff there.
Trump said he was caught off guard upon his return by first lady Melania Trump and aides asking whether he was well.
“I was out of there very quickly. I got back home and I get greeted with the news, ‘we understand you had a heart attack,'” Trump said.
The White House said Trump’s trip to Walter Reed on Saturday was to undergo “portions” of his annual physical exam.
But the unannounced nature of the visit led to online chatter about whether Trump was dealing with an undisclosed illness or other issue. Trump did not make any public appearances on Sunday or Monday, further fueling discussion on social media.
The White House late Monday night released a note from Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, physician to the president, dismissing speculation that Trump had been treated “for any urgent or acute issues” during his Saturday trip to Walter Reed.
The visit was part of “a routine, planned interim checkup,” Conley said. Trump did not undergo any specialized heart or neurological evaluations during his roughly three hour stop at the medical center, the statement from Conley said.
Conley noted the president’s cholesterol was 165 mg/dL, down from 196 during his most recent physical exam in February. But the doctor’s note otherwise contained no specifics on the president’s health.