Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice-President Kamala Harris waved as she left for Washington from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 11. -- Reuters
Democratic White House candidate Kamala Harris is in "excellent health" and fit for the presidency, according to a medical report released by the White House on Saturday. This comes as she challenged rival Donald Trump to disclose his own health records. "Vice President Harris remains in excellent health," stated her physician Joshua Simmons in the report, adding that she "possesses the physical and mental resilience needed to effectively carry out the responsibilities of the presidency." Speaking to reporters before a trip to North Carolina, Harris criticized Trump's refusal to release his health records, calling it "another example of his lack of transparency." "It's clear that his team, at the very least, doesn't want the American people to know everything about him... and whether he is truly fit to serve as president of the United States," she said.
However, as Harris increased pressure for details on Trump's physical health and mental sharpness, the former president's campaign responded. The Republican candidate is also "in perfect and excellent health to be Commander in Chief," according to a statement, which also accused Harris of lacking the strength to lead the country. Harris's most recent physical exam, conducted in April, was described as "unremarkable" by Simmons. The detailed report noted that Harris suffers from seasonal allergies and hives, managed with both over-the-counter and prescription medications. She is also slightly nearsighted and wears contact lenses.
Trump, at 78, became the oldest presidential nominee from a major political party in US history after 81-year-old President Joe Biden withdrew from the race in July. Harris is 59. Biden handed the reins to Harris following a poorly received debate against Trump, which raised concerns within the Democratic Party about his mental acuity. Despite Trump's age, it hasn't seemed to deter voters, as polls indicate a close race with Harris in the November 5 presidential election.
Harris's campaign highlighted a series of articles in The New York Times that questioned Trump's failure to provide basic health information. The newspaper also analyzed Trump's speeches, showing they are increasingly lengthy and "confused," with vulgarities—a trend experts see as possibly indicative of cognitive decline. Trump has consistently claimed he is fit for office. On Saturday, his campaign reissued statements from his former White House doctor, Ronny Jackson, released after the July assassination attempt on Trump, in which a bullet grazed his right ear. Jackson, now a Republican congressman from Texas, stated on July 26 that Trump was "doing extremely well" and "rapidly recovering" from the injury.
Trump's campaign also circulated a note from another doctor who examined him in September 2023. Bruce Aronwald, reportedly a longtime member of one of Trump's golf clubs, declared the former president to be in "excellent" health, though details of the exam were sparse. Trump's campaign claimed he had maintained "an extremely busy and active campaign schedule unlike any other in political history," asserting that Harris's schedule showed her to be "wholly unqualified to be President of the United States." Trump's personal and White House doctors have occasionally made exaggerated claims about his health. In 2015, as Trump campaigned for the presidency, his doctor Harold Bornstein stated he would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." Jackson also said in 2018 that with a better diet, Trump could live to be 200. If Trump wins the election in November, he would be 82 at the end of his second term.
