President Donald Trump made a rare admission about his health during an appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box, as he prepares to turn 80 later this summer. The US leader took jabs at former President Joe Biden, who he said 'couldn't walk up the stairs.'
Trump's Candid Remarks on Health
'Forget about down, he couldn't walk up a flight. He was falling all over the place. I have to be careful because if I do trip or fall, it's gonna be the biggest… That's why when I get out of those planes, I walk nice and slowly. I'm not looking to set any speed records,' Trump said.
Biden notably tripped on the stairs up to the Air Force One presidential jet early in his presidency, fell on stage once, and stumbled on stairs on about three other public occasions. Trump himself was filmed in July last year stumbling on the stairs to Air Force One and has struggled with walking in a straight line during several public appearances.
Health Concerns and Speculation
The US leader rarely acknowledges concerns about his health, which have been raised numerous times since he re-entered office in January. At a Medal of Honor Ceremony in the White House in March, photographers captured a red rash that sparked further health worries for the 79-year-old leader. The White House has not commented on the cause of the rash, but online speculation includes allergic reaction or shingles outbreak.
The rash appeared weeks after the President was spotted with a fresh black and blue bruise on his left hand at Davos. He has previously been photographed with large bruises on the back of his right hand. Since retaking office almost a year ago, Trump's health has sparked conversation, from his apparent sleepiness to his bruised hand.
Aspirin Use and Bruising
Trump's doctor, Sean Barbabella, stated that Trump takes around 325mg of aspirin daily to prevent a heart attack or stroke, significantly higher than the average dose of roughly 100mg. The President told the Wall Street Journal: '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? They'd rather have me take the smaller one, but I take the larger one, but I've done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.'
The White House has also addressed Trump's hand bruising, attributing it to 'frequent handshaking.'
