‘There is an anxiety’: Expert suggests Trump’s 'ticket to heaven' talk signals health concerns

WASHINGTON, DC: As concerns about Donald Trump’s health continue to circulate online, sparked by visible bruising on his hands, swollen ankles, and his noticeable absence from recent public appearances, a medical expert is now weighing in.
The doctor pointed to a recent interview in which Trump, somewhat jokingly, claimed that his efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war might earn him a ticket to heaven. According to the physician, this remark could reflect deeper anxieties about the president's health and mortality. But what else did the doctor have to say? Read on to find out.
Trump: "I want to try and get to heaven if possible. I hear I'm not doing well. I hear I'm really at the bottom of the totem pole." pic.twitter.com/y1izqVGM84
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2025
Medical expert reveals what could be the reason behind Trump’s comments about getting a place in heaven
In a recent YouTube video posted on the Max Kuhn channel, Dr David Benjamin, MD, offered his medical perspective on Donald Trump’s physical condition, specifically the visible bruising on his hands and swelling in his ankles, and how these signs may relate to the president’s sudden focus on the afterlife.

During the discussion, Kuhn and Benjamin noted that, seemingly without prompting, Trump began speaking about wanting to "get into heaven" just a few weeks ago. They speculated that this shift in rhetoric could be linked to a potentially serious health issue that has left Trump reflecting on his own mortality.
"It's a strange thing to say," Dr Benjamin observed, "and it makes you think, he's thinking about his own mortality."
Kuhn agreed, adding that even after the June 2024 assassination attempt on Trump, the president didn’t express such concerns about the afterlife.
"Even after his assassination attempt, he didn't quite speculate, 'Am I going to get into heaven?' in the way that he is currently. There's an anxiety, it seems," Kuhn said.
Expert discusses possible medical explanations for Trump’s current health condition
During the discussion, Max Kuhn and Dr David Benjamin suggested that Donald Trump may be concealing his swollen ankles, noting that he has appeared behind large furniture, such as the Cabinet table or the Resolute Desk, in nearly every recent televised event.

Dr Benjamin outlined several possible medical explanations for Trump’s condition, pointing to cardiovascular issues or lymphedema as likely culprits.
He also proposed that Trump may have undergone a stent procedure in one of his heart arteries, which would require blood-thinning medication, a treatment that could explain Trump’s seemingly reduced energy levels.
Reflecting on Trump’s overall health trajectory, Benjamin revealed that during Trump’s first term, he estimated a one-in-three chance that the president might die in office or become medically unfit to serve. Today, he puts those odds at 50/50. Trump himself has linked his ambition to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine to a deeper, more personal motive, increasing his chances of getting into heaven. His Super PAC echoed this sentiment in an email sent to supporters last week, which began with the line, “Friend, I want to try and get to Heaven.”

These uncharacteristic remarks about mortality have sparked renewed speculation about Trump’s health and whether he may be approaching the end of his life. The rumors intensified after White House reporters noted Trump had not been seen publicly since Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. Further fueling concern, Vice President JD Vance told USA Today he would be prepared to assume the presidency "if there's a terrible tragedy."