Donald Trump turns 80: questions over health and stamina of the US president

Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday on June 14, 2026, becoming the oldest sitting US president in history. A detailed New York Times investigation has raised questions about his physical condition, sleep habits, and the transparency of his medical records. Trump's allies insist he remains sharp, while critics and several cardiologists have cast doubt on the White House's rosy health assessments.

Donald Trump turned 80 on June 14, 2026, marking the occasion at the White House with a mixed martial arts event staged on the South Lawn, an event that will also serve as an unofficial launch of America's 250th anniversary celebrations ahead of the July 4 jubilee. Shortly after the event, Trump was set to fly to France for a diplomatic summit, a schedule his aides presented as proof of his undiminished energy.

Closed Eyes and Bandaged Hands

On the same day, the New York Times published an in-depth investigation by journalist Katie Rogers examining Trump's health, daily habits, and the limited public information available about his heart condition. The portrait that emerges is of a leader whose schedule is meticulously designed to project vigour, even as cameras regularly capture him stooping, sporting swollen ankles, and climbing the stairs of Air Force One with notable caution.

According to several people familiar with his routine, Trump sleeps only four to five hours a night. On June 4, during a White House meeting, he was observed slumping in his chair and repeatedly closing his eyes while EPA administrator Lee Zeldin was speaking. Senior White House officials, speaking anonymously, said Trump leans forward and closes his eyes in order to hear better, since Zeldin was standing directly behind him. On June 8, Trump appeared to doze during a New York Knicks basketball game, prompting team owner and Trump ally James Dolan to publicly insist the president had been «actively awake».

A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in February found that nearly six in ten Americans believe Trump is becoming increasingly unpredictable.

A Busy but Opaque Schedule

When Trump's public diary went nearly blank for almost a week in early June, immediately after a medical check-up, speculation about his health spread rapidly. The White House provided the NYT with a schedule for that period, which the newspaper described as «an unstructured series of phone calls during and between scheduled and unscheduled meetings».

On May 27 alone, Trump participated in eight phone calls (the first at 7:15 a.m.), seven in-person meetings, including a nearly two-hour session dedicated to his personal ballroom project, and three conference calls, two of which concerned negotiations with Iran. The following day brought 11 phone calls and eight meetings; Trump reportedly left the Oval Office at 11:30 p.m. Throughout both days, he posted continuously on Truth Social.

What the Medical Report Does, and Doesn't, Say

Trump's physician, Sean Barbabella, concluded after a comprehensive October 2025 examination, involving 22 specialists, that the then-79-year-old's health «remains excellent», with his heart, lungs, and nervous system all functioning well. The results were published in early June. The report also revealed that Trump has been taking cholesterol-lowering medication following a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which veins struggle to pump blood back to the heart.

Several cardiologists interviewed by the NYT questioned Barbabella's claim that Trump's «cardiac age» is 14 years younger than his actual age. Dr. Eric Topol or Cardiologist Eric Topol (remove markdown link formatting if not intentional), who studies the science of ageing, told the paper that the cardiology community cannot accept conclusions drawn from AI-based tools. He also described the results of Trump's CT angiography, a scan that checks for arterial blockages around the heart, as «very unusual» for a man of his age. Back in 2018, then-White House physician Ronnie Jackson had noted that Trump's calcium score stood at 133, indicating arterial plaque, typical for a man his age but not negligible. Topol said some sections of the latest report described Trump's arterial condition in insufficient detail.

Trump himself stated in a January 2026 NYT interview that he had never been diagnosed with heart disease.

«I Don't Feel Old»

Donald Trump addressed the subject of his age at a Wisconsin rally in early June, departing from his prepared remarks to tell supporters: «I'm a little older than some of you, but I don't feel old. I feel the same as I did 50 years ago.»

Tucker Carlson, the television host and longtime Trump ally who has recently fallen out with him over the Iran war, said in an interview that in his view Trump has «not slowed down at all». But Carlson also acknowledged that Trump finds discussions of age and mortality genuinely uncomfortable: «It's really uncomfortable for him.» Trump, Carlson noted, frequently cites elderly acquaintances who remain vigorous as a form of reassurance, most often 90-year-old golfer Gary Player.

Democrat Rahm Emanuel, who served as chief of staff to President Barack Obama and as a senior aide to President Bill Clinton, was blunter in his assessment. «An 80-year-old simply does not have the physical and mental stamina for this office,» he said, renewing his call for a mandatory age cap of 75 for senior federal officials.

History in the Making

The White House rejected all suggestions of concealment. «All the mentioned tests were conducted, and all returned impeccable results,» officials told the NYT, adding that Trump has «nothing to hide». For his part, Trump has labelled journalists who press him on health matters «agitators» and «traitors», though he later said he attacks them because he has put more effort than anyone into undergoing medical examinations, something he described as essential for anyone seeking the presidency.

If Trump completes his term as planned in January 2029, he will be the oldest president ever to have held the office. He is already the oldest at the time of writing, having surpassed the record previously held by Joe Biden.