Past Presidents’ Physicals: What We Know So Far


CNN looked at old reports from physical exams of former presidents. These reports usually include basic information like height, weight, and blood pressure. But they also include details like how Obama’s doctor removed a skin tag, how George H. W. Bush’s doctor drained a cyst on his finger, and how Gerald Ford’s doctor pushed for a swimming pool at the White House.

Presidential candidates aren’t required to share the results of their medical exam, but Jackson did so during a meeting on Tuesday and said on Friday that Trump was in “excellent health.”

Here is a look at how healthy past leaders were based on the exams they had.

From 1974 to 1977: President Gerald Ford

In January 1975, Ford’s doctor told him, “happy to report he is in excellent health. The results of all medical tests were normal in every way.”

In July 1976, Ford had another physical. During this visit, his doctor said, “He has had no complaints … other than mild discomfort in his knee following periods of prolonged standing. The President has maintained his physical capacity for long working hours. He sleeps very well and continues to follow his diet and weighs between 195 and 198 pounds.”

Ford’s doctor wrote in 1975 that “the completion of the new White House swimming pool will provide him with short intervals for relaxation that can easily be fitted into his busy schedule.”

“I would like to take the time to acknowledge those citizens who, by their contributions, make a swimming pool available for the President in the White House,” Dr. William Lukash said at a press meeting in January 1976. “I might add that the President was reluctant to use the pool during the winter months because of his concern about energy conservation. I spoke to him about this and felt it was to his advantage to have the use of this pool because I thought it would be an improvement in his sense of well-being and make him more conducive to his feeling better the next day. … The President swims approximately 24 lengths of the pool, which adds up to about a quarter of a mile, and he does this in about 14 minutes.”

Related Posts

10 Celebs Who Don’t Care About “What People Say” When It Comes to Breastfeeding

Being a woman is no simple task. And when we talk about being a mother, everything becomes twice as complicated. From sleepless nights to emotional changes and…

BREAKING: Former U.S. President to Be Arrested for Treason and Espionage

Behind the breathless rumors lies a nation already stretched to its breaking point. Talk of indicting a former president on charges as grave as treason doesn’t just…

This photo is not edited. Look closer and try not to gasp when you see it…

Born into the glare of one of the world’s most polarizing families, Kai Trump has learned to move carefully between two worlds: the ordinary teenager who loves…

Jimmy Kimmel Gives Donald Trump a ‘Rich

Kimmel’s Christmas address was part confession, part alarm bell. He described the “September Christmas miracle” of Jimmy Kimmel Live! returning only after “millions and millions” — including…

Family prays for Christmas miracle as 11-year-old boy fights for his life in ICU

In Hueytown, the story of Jace has become more than a medical crisis; it is a shared heartbreak. One day he was a laughing fifth grader insisting…

Secret Service Suspends Agents Assigned to Trump Detail After Pennsylvania Assassination Attempt

Behind the carefully worded statements and bureaucratic jargon lies a brutal truth: the system failed at the exact moment it was needed most. A gunman outside the…