A leading cardiologist speaking to CNN commented on President Donald Trump’s health, suggesting that the 79-year-old may have quietly undergone an MRI scan due to possible neurological concerns. Trump revealed visiting the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre on Monday and said the “MRI turned out perfect.”
Why did Trump get an MRI scan?
Dr Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist who once treated former Vice President Dick Cheney, told CNN that such a test is never performed without a specific medical reason. His comments came shortly after Trump himself admitted to reporters aboard Air Force One that he had an MRI.
“Typically, MRIs are prompted by symptoms,” Reiner explained. “They can be neurologic symptoms that prompt an MRI. They could be back pain that prompts an MRI. There can be issues with the heart that would prompt an MRI. And for those reasons, the public should really be told, you know, why did the president undergo the test, what consultants he saw, and what was the result of the testing?”
Reiner, who currently teaches medicine at George Washington University, believes the White House should be transparent to the American public, especially given Trump’s history of unexplained medical episodes and viral photographs of bruised hands.
Speaking to the press earlier, Trump downplayed the questions about health concerns and said, “I got an MRI. It was perfect.” Without elaborating, he continued, “I gave you the full results. We had an MRI… you know the whole thing. And it was perfect.” When asked for more details, he said, “You can ask the doctors,” adding, “I think they gave you a very conclusive, nobody has ever given you reports like I gave you, and if I didn’t think it was going to be good, either I would let you know negatively, I wouldn’t run, I’d do something. But the doctors said some of the best reports for the age, some of the best reports they’ve ever seen.”
The last official update on Trump’s health came in early October, when the White House released a one-page memo. It claimed the former president was in “excellent overall health” after “advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventative assessments.”
Gavin Newsom takes aim at Trump’s health
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday questioned Donald Trump’s mental fitness, suggesting that even the president’s doctors may be concerned. “Most people don’t take that many cognitive tests unless a doctor is worried,” Newsom wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Won’t be taking medical advice from someone who can’t spell hepatitis and looks like this: https://t.co/YzfukZtlNk pic.twitter.com/giH8VeyoDK
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 27, 2025
Earlier in the day, Newsom had already taken aim at Trump’s health after the president posted a string of questionable medical recommendations on Truth Social. Trump shared a message warning pregnant women against using Tylenol and suggesting that childhood vaccines should be split into separate doses.
In response, Newsom shared a photo of Trump removing his jacket during a McDonald’s campaign stop last year, writing: “Won’t be taking medical advice from someone who can’t spell hepatitis and looks like this.”
This isn’t the first time Newsom has commented on Trump’s mental state. Earlier this month, he told reporters that the former president appeared to be “in decline, cognitively.”
