Fact Check: Is Trump taking an experimental obesity drug after turning 80?

A claim circulating online alleges that President Donald Trump is taking an experimental weight-loss drug that has not yet received full FDA approval. The rumor emerged after reports revealed that only one person in the United States had been granted access to the medication through a rare compassionate use program. Is Trump really the recipient? Let's fact check the claim.

Claim: Trump taking experimental weight-loss drug

The FDA has granted access to the experimental drug retatrutide through its "compassionate use" program to only one person in the United States.

The recipient was a 79-year-old man whose application, submitted in April, was overseen by a senior doctor at the National Institutes of Health and later approved by the FDA. Several online reports claimed that the recipient could be President Donald Trump, who turned 80 in June 2026.

Three anonymous sources told Stat News, a biotech and medical industry publication, that the approval was highly unusual and described the applicant as well connected.

Retatrutide is a once-weekly injectable drug that Eli Lilly is currently studying as a potential treatment for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, knee osteoarthritis pain, moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, chronic low back pain, cardiovascular and kidney-related conditions.

According to Stat News, the patient sought access to the drug to treat refractory obesity, obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension.

The report drew attention because Trump recently turned 80, has publicly expressed interest in weight-loss drugs and is reportedly under the care of numerous medical specialists.

Some commentators also pointed to reports that Trump has occasionally appeared drowsy during public events, prompting speculation about conditions such as sleep apnea.

Trump underwent three physical examinations within 13 months, including an MRI during a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in October 2025, although no public explanation was provided for the scan.

Fact Check: False

When asked whether Trump had received special access to the experimental drug, White House Deputy Press Secretary Desai Kush denied the claim.

Kush dismissed the speculation and told Stat News that "this application was not for the President."

The speculation persisted partly because Trump has previously received or helped facilitate access to rare medical treatments.

During his first term, he received the experimental COVID-19 treatment Regeneron through the FDA's compassionate use program after contracting the virus.

According to Eli Lilly, compassionate use is generally reserved for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions who have exhausted available treatment options and are not eligible for clinical trials.

Reports have also noted that Trump helped advocate for specialized medical treatments for several allies facing serious health conditions.