Lead: President Donald Trump has acknowledged that an advanced imaging exam he discussed for weeks at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was a CT scan, not an MRI, according to an interview published Thursday in the Wall Street Journal. The White House previously described the president’s advanced imaging results released Dec. 1 as “perfectly normal.” Trump’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, told the Journal the CT was performed to rule out cardiovascular problems and showed no abnormalities. Trump told the Journal he now regrets undergoing the imaging because it has been used as political “ammunition.”
- Key Takeaways:
- President Trump said in late October he had an MRI at Walter Reed; he later told the Wall Street Journal the test was actually a CT scan.
- On Dec. 1 the White House released the president’s advanced imaging results and described them as “perfectly normal.”
- Dr. Sean Barbabella confirmed to the Journal the exam was a CT scan ordered to “definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues” and reported no abnormalities.
- Trump told the Journal he regrets having the scan because opponents used it as “ammunition,” and he repeated that he takes a high-dose aspirin regimen he’s used for 25 years.
- White House aides reportedly advised Trump to keep his eyes open at public events after several instances in November and December when he appeared to doze.
- Officials including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have counseled shorter presentations at Cabinet meetings following those episodes.
Background
Advanced imaging was performed for President Trump at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in late October as part of routine or preventive care, according to White House statements. For weeks afterward, Trump publicly described the exam as an MRI; that account persisted in remarks to reporters on Air Force One and during other appearances. On Dec. 1 the White House published results from that imaging, calling the findings “perfectly normal,” and the president’s physician framed the tests as confirming overall health and screening for early issues.
The two principal imaging methods discussed — MRI and CT — are commonly used to evaluate internal organs and vascular structures, but they use different technology: MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves, while CT uses X-rays. The choice between them depends on the clinical question, availability, and patient factors. In this case, Barbabella told the Wall Street Journal that clinicians initially said they might perform either modality and ultimately did a CT.
Main Event
The Wall Street Journal interview published Thursday contains the president’s acknowledgment that the October exam was a CT scan, not an MRI as he had repeatedly stated. Trump told the Journal, “It wasn’t an MRI…It was less than that. It was a scan,” and his physician confirmed the change in modality. Barbabella said the CT was intended to “definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues” and that it revealed no abnormalities.
Following the Dec. 1 release of imaging results, Barbabella told ABC News the imaging supports the president’s overall health and detects early problems before they worsen. The White House has not provided a detailed clinical explanation for choosing CT over MRI beyond the physician’s statement and the normal results summary made public in early December. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that the administration has consistently described the exams as “advanced imaging.”
In the Journal interview Trump also said he now regrets consenting to the imaging because opponents have used the episode politically. He described the attention as “ammunition” and suggested he would have been better off not having the test. Trump additionally discussed his long-standing aspirin use, saying he takes a large dose daily and has done so for 25 years despite doctors advising a lower dose.
The interview addressed related optics concerns: staff have told Trump to try to remain more alert at events after photographs showed him with eyes closed. The Journal reports aides including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have urged that presentations be shortened; Administrator Mehmet Oz told the Journal he believed Trump seemed bored at one November event where cameras captured him appearing to doze.
Analysis & Implications
The correction from “MRI” to “CT” matters clinically and politically. Clinically, CT and MRI provide different kinds of detail: for many cardiovascular questions a CT angiogram may be rapid and effective, while MRI offers soft-tissue contrast without ionizing radiation. Politically, the mismatch between initial public statements and the later clarification can fuel questions about transparency and messaging from the White House.
The White House framing of “advanced imaging” and the physician’s characterization of the results as normal aim to close the issue from a health-confidence perspective. Still, the episode underscores how medical details about a president can become salient in campaign and governance contexts, prompting repeated scrutiny of both results and how they are communicated to the public.
Operationally, the choice of CT could reflect clinical expediency or specific diagnostic aims; CT is faster and often more available than MRI, which can be longer and contraindicated for some patients. That pragmatic explanation may not satisfy critics who point to earlier verbatim claims about an MRI, especially given the timing of public remarks and the subsequent media attention.
| Modality | Typical Uses | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| CT (computed tomography) | Rapid evaluation of structures, CT angiography for vessels | Uses X-rays; faster |
| MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) | Soft tissue detail, neurological and some cardiac imaging | Uses magnetic fields; no ionizing radiation |
The table above clarifies why clinicians sometimes choose one modality over the other. In presidential medicine, availability, clinical question and patient tolerance can drive the choice; public messaging about the test type affects perceptions even when results are normal.
Reactions & Quotes
The president, his physician and White House spokespeople offered differing emphases in public comments and interviews; below are representative excerpts placed in context.
“It wasn’t an MRI…It was less than that. It was a scan.”
President Donald Trump, Wall Street Journal interview
This remark was the president’s direct correction to prior public statements in which he had described the exam as an MRI; he added that the attention around the test became politically inconvenient.
“The president remains in exceptional health and perfectly suited to execute his duties as Commander in Chief.”
Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, White House physician (statement to ABC News)
Barbabella’s statement to ABC News accompanied the Dec. 1 release describing the imaging results as normal and framed the exams as part of standard preventive surveillance rather than a response to acute concern.
“In retrospect, it’s too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition.”
President Donald Trump, Wall Street Journal interview
Trump said the testing has been used by political opponents to raise questions and expressed regret about consenting to the exam for that reason.
Unconfirmed
- Whether the initial public statements claiming an MRI were the result of miscommunication, shorthand, or an error has not been independently verified.
- The White House has not publicly released the full imaging reports or the clinical rationale for selecting CT over MRI beyond general statements, leaving some procedural details unclear.
- Internal discussions among staff about how the imaging was presented and why messaging diverged have not been fully disclosed.
Bottom Line
The medical record released publicly so far — and the physician’s confirmation of a CT with no reported abnormalities — indicate the president’s imaging did not reveal acute cardiovascular disease. Still, the episode highlights how differences between technical terms (MRI versus CT) can rapidly become political issues when tied to a head-of-state’s health.
For readers, the key point is this: the clinical result as described by White House physicians is normal, but transparency about methodology and timely, consistent messaging matter for public confidence. Watch for any additional clinical documentation or official medical summaries that clarify why CT was chosen and provide fuller context for the exams that took place in late October.
Sources
- ABC News (news) — original article summarizing interview and White House statements.
- The Wall Street Journal (news) — published the interview in which President Trump clarified the imaging modality.
- The White House (official) — statements and releases about the president’s health and imaging results.
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (government/health) — general guidance on imaging modalities and patient safety.