President Donald Trump said he is taking a daily aspirin dose larger than his doctors recommend, adding new detail to the public picture of his health and prevention regimen in an interview published by the Wall Street Journal.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump told the newspaper. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
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Sean Barbabella, the president’s physician, told the Journal that Trump takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily for cardiac prevention. Trump did not specify what amount his physicians recommend, but 325 mg is considered a full-strength tablet and is above the most common “low-dose” aspirin used for prevention.
The Mayo Clinic says daily use of aspirin can lower the chances of heart attack or stroke for people over 60, and notes that a low dose is most commonly 81 mg. The clinic’s guidance underscores that dosing varies by individual circumstance and medical advice.
Trump’s comment about exceeding his doctors’ guidance comes as the White House has fielded questions about his cardiovascular checks and recent imaging. Last month, officials said an MRI scan had been conducted as a preventative measure after bruising was observed on the president’s arms.
Asked about that episode, Trump and Dr. Barbabella told the Journal that the president actually received a CT scan, not an MRI. Barbabella said the medical team initially weighed either an MRI or a CT scan and chose the latter “to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues.”
The CT scan revealed no abnormalities, Barbabella said.
The White House has attributed Trump’s bruising to the wear-and-tear of shaking many hands at public events, and said the imaging was precautionary.
Trump, 79, is the second-oldest person to hold the presidency, following his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden. Biden, who ended his 2024 re-election bid amid questions about his fitness for office, was 82 when he left the White House a year ago.
Trump’s comments place a spotlight on a common but nuanced element of older adults’ preventive care. Aspirin has long been used to help prevent clot-related cardiac events because it inhibits platelet aggregation. While low-dose aspirin is widely known, some patients use higher doses under medical supervision for specific reasons. The president did not elaborate on why he prefers a larger daily dose, beyond his desire for “thin blood.”
The disclosures, together with the clean CT scan, suggest his medical team is actively monitoring his cardiovascular health as he resumes the grind of campaign-style travel and public appearances that typically define a presidency. The White House has not indicated any change to his schedule or duties.
Trump’s office did not provide additional details about his broader medication regimen. The Journal interview focused primarily on aspirin, the imaging decision, and the bruising explanation offered by the White House.
Any future updates on the president’s health are likely to draw scrutiny, given the public interest in the fitness of an older commander in chief and the ongoing debate about preventive therapies for heart disease and stroke in older populations. For now, Trump’s physician says recent imaging uncovered no abnormalities, and the president says he intends to continue his daily aspirin routine.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
