A new interview with the Wall Street Journal is shedding light on President Donald Trump’s health. Since October 2025, the president has maintained that he underwent an MRI during his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but he was mistaken.
It turns out, he actually had a CT scan.
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MRI vs. CT
MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. It uses magnetic fields and radio waves to form detailed images of organs inside the body. It’s often used to identify issues with soft tissues, like the brain, ligaments and nerves.
A CT, or computed tomography scan, on the other hand, uses X-rays to generate an image. It’s used for bones, emergencies and trauma. They’re also known as computed axial tomography, or CAT scans.
MRIs typically take 20-90 minutes and produce 3-D images of the body’s internal structures. CT scans are much quicker (5-10 minutes) and take 2-D cross-sectional images of the inside of a person’s body, but are not nearly as detailed.
The speed and accuracy of CT scans make them an ideal first test for evaluating a wide range of conditions, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. MRI provides a more focused view and is better at detecting subtle changes.
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President Trump is on track to become the oldest sitting president in history. By the time his second term is up in 2028, he’ll be 82.
Results still ‘perfect’
Regardless of the scan he received, Trump maintains the results were “perfect.”
The president’s doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, told the Journal the CT scan was done “to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues.” He added that it showed no abnormalities.
At the beginning of December 2025, the White House released the results of Trump’s advanced imaging tests and said they were “perfectly normal.” In a memo also released by the White House, Dr. Barbabella said testing of this type is normal for men of Trump’s age.
“Everything evaluated is functioning within normal limits with no acute or chronic concerns,” he wrote. “This level of detailed assessment is standard for an executive physical at President Trump’s age and confirms that he remains in excellent overall health.”
Presidents sharing the results of their annual physical is a voluntary tradition started by President Richard Nixon. It was a move meant to garner public trust while providing transparency to counter rumors about his own physical and mental state.
The shift in Trump’s claims has raised questions about his transparency with the public and inquiries into the president’s overall health.
This story is featured in today’s Unbiased Updates. Watch the full episode here.
Other revelations
In the Wall Street Journal interview, Trump also revealed he takes a large dose of aspirin every day, which has thinned his blood and caused him to bruise easily. He said he refuses to take his doctor’s advice to lower the dosage.
Since retaking the Oval Office in January 2025, Trump has been spotted several times sporting bruises and Band-Aids.
The president also told The Journal that he tried wearing compression socks for his swelling ankles, but he didn’t like them, so he stopped.
Trump was the oldest person to be inaugurated as president at 78 years and 7 months old. His predecessor, former President Joe Biden, was inaugurated at 78 years and 2 months old in 2021.
