U.S. President Donald Trump’s weight has emerged as a fresh cause for concern, with two medical experts raising alarms over the 23 pounds he may have gained since his last campaign for the White House.
The development comes amid consistent reports of bruising on his hands and swelling in his ankles, alongside episodes of drowsiness.
Highlights
- Doctors have warned that Donald Trump’s weight gain could increase his risk of premature demise.
- The president has openly acknowledged his weight problem, even as he maintains his longstanding fondness for McDonald’s.
- Bruising, ankle swelling and reports of apparent drowsiness have only intensified public scrutiny of the 80-year-old’s wellbeing.
The 80-year-old’s fondness for fast food and aversion to exercise are well documented, with him having spoken openly about both over the years.
Physicians, however, are now urging him to address his expanding waistline immediately, warning that obesity is linked to premature disability and, in the most serious cases, a shortened lifespan.
Doctors have raised concerns over Donald Trump’s weight gain
More than 40 percent of American adults are obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Trump, who weighs 238 pounds per a medical report released in May, is just 1.6 pounds shy of the threshold based on his height of 6 feet 3 inches.
While White House doctors have repeatedly cited his ability to maintain a demanding schedule at his age as evidence of his fitness, health professionals outside the administration have voiced reservations about the figure on the scale.
Scott Kahan, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness, told The Washington Post on August 23 that the president’s rising body mass could put him at risk of premature demise.
“Addressing obesity to protect his health should be a priority similar to ensuring Secret Service protection for his life,” he stressed.
David Kessler, a former head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meanwhile, offered a more specific cause for concern, suggesting that Trump may not simply be gaining weight but could also be accumulating visceral fat.
This type of fat is deposited “around our liver, pancreas, our heart where it doesn’t belong,” Kessler said, cautioning that it can rapidly undermine a person’s longevity
Trump is reportedly aware of his weight and has expressed a desire to lose it
Trump’s awareness of weight gain dates back to September 2016, when he appeared on The Dr. Oz Show and said, “The one thing I would like to do is be able to drop 15, 20 pounds.”
More recently, at last month’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, he made light of the subject in front of a room full of journalists, saying, “I would never call anybody fat. I have my own problems, you know.”
While the remark drew laughter, NBC News later revisited Trump’s history of commenting on other people’s appearances.
He once told Rosie O’Donnell that he would look at her “right in her fat, ugly face” and say, “You’re fired.”
He has also publicly called Kim Kardashian fat and mocked a protester being removed from one of his rallies as “seriously overweight.”
Trump’s diet has been a talking point for years, while his approach to working out has been notably limited.
He has previously said he exercises for “about one minute a day, max.”
The president is a known McDonald’s fan, with golf serving as his preferred form of physical training
Trump stopped at a McDonald’s in suburban Philadelphia while campaigning for president in October 2024, sparking bemusement among onlookers.
The photo opportunity, however, was far from random and reflected his longstanding fondness for the fast-food chain.
“I love McDonald’s,” Trump informed.
His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also wrote in his 2022 memoir, Breaking History, that his appetite for the chain was so well known that an McD order became a sign that he was recovering after contracting COVID-19 in 2020.
“I knew he was feeling better when he requested one of his favorite meals: a Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, fries and vanilla shake,” Kushner said.
His time on the course may involve walking and standing for extended periods, but he has long avoided more intense forms of exercise.
Trump has also famously subscribed to a theory that the human body functions like a battery. He therefore views moving his body, including running and heavy weightlifting, as a waste of limited energy.
According to the 2016 biography Trump Revealed, the president admonished one of his top casino executives, John O’Donnell, after learning that he was training for a grueling triathlon.
“You are going to d** young because of this,” he reportedly told him.
Donald Trump’s well-being has faced increased scrutiny in recent months
Concerns about Trump’s health intensified in January 2026 after bruising became visible on his hand.
The White House initially attributed the marks to frequent handshaking before revising its explanation, saying Trump had struck his hand against the corner of a signing table.
Attention later turned to swelling in his ankles, which officials described as an improvement from the previous year.
Observers also noted episodes of drowsiness, including reports that the US commander-in-chief had nodded off in the Oval Office.
His visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center have also drawn scrutiny.
Trump visited the facility three times over a 13-month period, although the White House maintained that the visits were for routine medical checkups.
"Keep on eating, Donald," a netizen quipped
