Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal he takes a higher daily dose of aspirin than his doctors recommend but insists his "health is perfect." He said the aspirin causes easy bruising and that he has followed the routine for 25 years. Trump described his White House schedule, acknowledged staff urged him to slow down, and expressed regret that an October imaging scan drew attention. His physician described him as in "exceptional health," and a White House AI analysis estimated a cardiac age of 65.
Trump Says He Takes Higher Dose Of Aspirin Than Doctors Recommend — But Insists “My Health Is Perfect”
Donald Trump during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on 29 December 2025.Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he takes a larger daily dose of aspirin than his doctors recommend, but he insisted his "health is perfect." The 79-year-old president said the higher dose causes him to bruise easily and that medical advisers have urged him to reduce it — advice he has refused after following the regimen for 25 years.
Why He Keeps Taking Aspirin
"I'm a little superstitious," Trump told the Journal, explaining why he resisted lowering the dose. "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?"
Daily Routine and Staff Advice
In the interview, Trump described his daily White House routine: he begins early in an office in the residence, comes downstairs around 10 a.m. to work in the Oval Office, and often continues until 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. He said he asked aides to streamline his schedule so he could focus on fewer, more important meetings.
Staff have counseled him to slow his pace at times — including spending roughly two weeks at Mar-a-Lago over Christmas and New Year — and to try to appear more alert during public events.
Imaging, Public Scrutiny And His Response
Trump said he regretted having an advanced cardiovascular and abdominal imaging scan during a routine October checkup because it attracted attention. The White House initially described the test as a CT scan rather than an MRI.
"In retrospect, it’s too bad I took it, because it gave them a little ammunition," he said. "I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t, because the fact that I took it said, 'Oh gee, is something wrong?' Well, nothing's wrong."
The Journal reported Trump expressed frustration that his team had not done more to promote or defend his health. "Let's talk about health again for the 25th time," he told the outlet. "My health is perfect."
Medical Assessment And Other Details
Trump’s physician, U.S. Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, told the Journal the president is in "exceptional health and perfectly suited to execute his duties as commander-in-chief." The White House also provided an AI-generated analysis of Trump’s electrocardiogram that estimated a cardiac age of 65.
He said he briefly tried compression socks for leg swelling but stopped because he did not like them and that walking more improved the problem. On exercise, Trump said he prefers golf and has little interest in treadmill workouts, calling them "boring." He credited his energy to strong genetics.
Bottom Line
Trump maintains he feels healthy despite taking a higher-than-recommended aspirin dose and facing renewed public scrutiny about his fitness for office.
