Trump blanks on ‘Alzheimer’s’ while recalling father’s health: ‘I don’t have it’
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump appeared to momentarily forget the word “Alzheimer’s” while recalling his father’s illness during a recent interview with New York magazine, prompting renewed discussion about the 79-year-old president’s health.
The remarks came as administration officials spoke glowingly about Trump’s physical condition in a feature published on January 26, even as observers have noted instances of the president appearing to doze off in public and being seen with bruised hands and swollen ankles.
Trump sparks health questions in New York interview
New York magazine journalist Ben Terris reported that Trump had been sharing stories about his late father, Fred Trump, who died in 1999 at age 93, often praising his work ethic and long life with few health issues.
“He had an expression that I always remember,” the president told Terris. “‘To retire is to expire.’”
While recounting his father’s health history, Trump said Fred had remained largely free of illness until his late 80s. “He had one problem,” Trump said. “At a certain age, about 86, 87, he started getting, what do they call it?” He pointed to his forehead and looked to his press secretary for the word that escaped him.
“Alzheimer’s,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “Like an Alzheimer’s thing,” Trump said. “Well, I don’t have it.”
When asked whether his father’s condition ever concerned him personally, Trump dismissed the idea. “No, I don’t think about it at all. You know why?” he said. “Because whatever it is, my attitude is whatever.”
Elsewhere in the same New York magazine feature, a White House physician assistant claimed Trump was healthier than former President Barack Obama, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked, “The guy is too healthy.”
Marco Rubio jokes about Trump’s nonstop energy
Rubio also shared a lighter moment about Donald Trump’s nonstop energy aboard Air Force One, revealing that he goes out of his way to avoid being seen resting during long flights.
“There’s an office with two couches,” Rubio told New York magazine. “I cocoon myself in a blanket. I cover my head. I look like a mummy.”
The secretary joked that Trump often roams the cabin to see who is awake, adding, “At some point on the flight, he’s going to emerge from the cabin and start prowling the hallways to see who is awake.”
“I want him to think it’s a staffer who fell asleep,” Rubio said. “I don’t want him to see his secretary of State sleeping on a couch and think, Oh, this guy is weak.”
Trump’s ability to stay awake for long stretches has been a point of fascination since his first term, when he frequently posted messages in the early morning hours.
