White House fires back with 'good job, loser' after Trump weight-loss drug report

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House has hit out at a reporter for suggesting that President Donald Trump was given the opportunity to try a powerful new weight-loss drug as part of a “compassionate use” program.

The drug was reportedly provided through the FDA's “compassionate use” program, which is typically reserved for patients facing serious or life-threatening medical conditions.

Report fuels questions over Retatrutide patient's identity

The controversy stems from a report by journalist Lizzy Lawrence, who revealed that pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and the FDA granted a 79-year-old patient access to Retatrutide, an experimental obesity drug that has shown weight-loss results comparable to bariatric surgery.

According to Eli Lilly, the drug remains in Phase 3 clinical trials and has not yet been approved for public use.

The report noted that the patient who received access to the treatment was an overweight 79-year-old man who requested the drug in April. Trump was also 79 at the time, before turning 80 on June 14.

Trump aides deny reported patient connection

While the White House did not directly confirm or deny whether Trump was the patient referenced in the report, senior communications officials Kush Desai and Steven Cheung forcefully rejected the speculation.

“Because this has to be spelled out for [Lawrence], who has proven herself to be an unserious gossip columnist, this application was not for the President,” Desai posted to X on Tuesday, June 23.

Cheung was much more aggressive.

“You thought this was your big shot, but in reality, you’re just a big idiot,” he said, also on X.

“You certainly made a name for yourself by completely embarrassing yourself at the expense of being thirsty for clicks and peddling falsehoods,” he added.

Cheung added, “Good job, loser. You’ll never make it.”

Journalist thanks Kush Desai for clarifying claim

In a response to Desai’s post, Lawrence said, “Thank you for clarifying. I asked you, the FDA, and HHS multiple times yesterday whether this application was for the President. No one answered my question directly.”

Trump has faced recurring scrutiny over his health in recent months, including questions about bruising on his hands, swelling in his ankles and appearances where critics suggested he appeared to fall asleep during public events.

Last month, the president underwent a medical evaluation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was reportedly examined by 22 specialists over the course of three hours.

Following the visit, Trump declared on Truth Social that “everything checked out PERFECTLY.”