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Leavitt, 28, Flees After Being Asked About Health of Trump, 79

The White House press secretary remains evasive about why the president needed an MRI scan.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt abruptly ended a press conference after being quizzed about President Donald Trump’s health.

One week after telling reporters she would “check back” with the president about why he had an MRI during his latest medical examination, Leavitt was asked on Wednesday whether she had an update for the public.

“As stated in the memo provided on October 10, President Trump received advanced imaging at Walter Reed Medical Center as part of his routine physical examination,” she told reporters during her latest briefing.

“The full results were reviewed by attending radiologists and consultants, and all agreed that President Trump remains in exceptional physical health, which I know all of you will see with your own eyes later this evening when he opens up his dinner to the press, and perhaps you will see him when he signs the bill to reopen the federal government.”

Leavitt’s statement did not provide any details that were not already contained in the report of Trump’s check-up last month, let alone explain why he needed an MRI, which can usually highlight symptoms associated with conditions such as strokes, brain issues, or tumors.

But before any further questions could be asked, she left the room after what was a relatively short briefing lasting about 25 minutes—part of which involved FBI director Kash Patel providing a lengthy update about his recent trip to China to crack down on fentanyl precursors.

Leavitt’s response is an indication of how sensitive the issue is for the White House, and for the 79-year-old Commander in Chief.

Trump insists he is in excellent shape for his age, and has previously bragged about getting “perfect” results on cognitive tests issued by White House doctor Sean Barbabella.

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“When they asked, would I like to do one? I said: Yeah—did Obama do it? No. Did Bush do it? No. Did Biden do it?“ he said last month ahead of his latest visit to Walter Reed.

“Biden wouldn’t have gotten through the first three questions, but Biden should have done it.”

But speculation about the president’s health has intensified in recent weeks, particularly after he was caught napping during events, or mixed up names, places, and basic facts.

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The scrutiny began earlier this year when Trump was photographed with his swollen ankles and bruising on his hand.

This resulted in the White House eventually revealing that he had been diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency, a condition that occurs when veins can’t manage blood flow well, making it harder for the blood to return to the heart.

This had caused his ankles to swell, while bruising on Trump’s hand, according to the White House, was due to the president’s serial handshaking and an aspirin regimen used to treat it.

But renewed questions emerged last month after Trump let it slip that the October 10 examination also included an MRI, which doctors say is never part of a routine examination.

“Typically, they’re prompted by symptoms,” prominent cardiologist Dr Jonathan Reiner said at the time.

“They can be neurologic symptoms that prompt an MRI. They could be back pain that prompts an MRI. There can be issues with the heart that would prompt an MRI.

“And for those reasons, the public should really be told, you know, why did the president undergo the test, what consultants he saw, and what was the result of the testing?”

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Farrah TomazinPolitical Correspondent

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