Trump keeps his doctor on a short leash. A new report reveals just how short

President Donald Trump's personal physician is required to remain within three minutes of him at every moment, The Wall Street Journal reports. Having medical staff close by is normal for any president, but the requirement underscores how closely the oldest elected president in U. S. history is watched. Navy Captain Dr. Sean Barbabella, 56, who served in Afghanistan before joining the White House, runs the arrangement. He performs the 80-year-old Trump's health evaluations and writes the public summaries. A source familiar with his routine told the Journal that aides usually step out during his sessions with Trump, and described his manner as low-key and direct, according to The Independent.

Barbabella's May 2026 report was strongly positive. It said an AI-enhanced ECG analysis put Trump's cardiac age at roughly 14 years below his actual age, and it declared him fully fit for the duties of the presidency. The same document nonetheless recommended weight loss, dietary changes, more exercise and less aspirin.

The tone echoes past assessments. Dr. Harold Bornstein, Trump's physician from 1980 to 2018, praised Trump's stamina in 2015, then told CNN in 2018 that Trump had dictated the letter. Bornstein died in 2021.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →