Trump Says He Takes Higher Daily Aspirin Dose Than Doctors Recommend, Calls His Health “Perfect”

US President Donald Trump has said he takes a higher daily dose of aspirin than most doctors recommend, insists he is in “perfect” health, and dismisses concerns about his age as public scrutiny of his wellbeing intensifies.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump, 79, addressed questions about his medical routine, recent scans, visible bruising on his hands, and his aversion to regular exercise. The discussion comes as Trump, the oldest president ever inaugurated in US history, faces growing attention over his health while serving a second term.

Trump said he has been taking 325 milligrams of aspirin daily for the past 25 years—significantly more than the 81-milligram “low-dose” aspirin often advised by physicians. He acknowledged that doctors would prefer he switch to the smaller dose but said he is reluctant to change a long-standing habit.

“They’d rather have me take the smaller one,” Trump said, adding that he has continued with the higher dose partly out of superstition. “I’m a little superstitious.”

The president argued that aspirin’s blood-thinning effects are beneficial, even though he admitted it causes him to bruise easily. “They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” he said.

Medical guidance from the Mayo Clinic notes that while low-dose aspirin can help prevent heart attacks and strokes by reducing blood clots—particularly as cardiovascular risks rise with age—it also increases the risk of bleeding, a concern that becomes more pronounced in older adults. The clinic states that daily aspirin therapy typically ranges between 75mg and 325mg.

Trump also clarified earlier comments about a medical scan he received at Walter Reed National Medical Center in October. He had previously told reporters he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan but corrected that account in the interview.

“It wasn’t an MRI,” Trump said. “It was less than that. It was a scan.”

According to a statement provided to the Journal by Trump’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, the president underwent a CT scan to “definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues.” Barbabella said the results showed no abnormalities.

The president disclosed that he was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition among older adults that can cause leg swelling. He said doctors advised him to wear compression socks, but he chose not to follow that recommendation.

“I didn’t like them,” Trump said, adding that he now stands up from his desk more frequently, which he believes has helped reduce swelling.

Despite frequent public appearances, Trump said he avoids structured exercise, aside from playing golf. He described traditional workouts as unappealing.

“I just don’t like it. It’s boring,” he said. “To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people do—that’s not for me.”

The president also pushed back against speculation that he has struggled with hearing or fallen asleep during White House events. He said he sometimes closes his eyes because he finds it “relaxing,” not because he is dozing off.

Addressing photographs that show bruising on his hands, Trump said he now carries makeup to cover marks that appear after handshakes or minor bumps. “I have makeup that’s, you know, easy to put on, takes about 10 seconds,” he said.

Trump appeared irritated by the ongoing debate over his health, telling the Journal at the start of what the newspaper described as an impromptu phone call, “Let’s talk about health again for the 25th time.”

Barbabella, in his statement, said Trump is in “exceptional health and perfectly suited to execute his duties as Commander in Chief.”

Questions surrounding presidential health have remained a sensitive political issue since the 2024 campaign, when Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, exited the race following a debate performance that intensified concerns about his age and cognitive sharpness. Trump has repeatedly contrasted his own condition with that of Biden, maintaining that he is fully capable of meeting the demands of the presidency.