Trump Condemns Media Reports Questioning His Health as "Seditious" Amid Age Concerns

The Republican stated that he had undergone "long, thorough, and very boring" medical examinations.

United States:

US President Donald Trump has denounced media reports questioning his health condition as "seditious, perhaps even treasonous," prompting a response Wednesday from one of the major news outlets behind the stories.

In an extensive late-night social media post, the oldest elected president in US history expressed outrage about reports from The New York Times and other outlets suggesting he is slowing down at age 79.

"There has never been a President that has worked as hard as me! My hours are the longest, and my results are among the best," Trump declared in his nearly 500-word statement on his Truth Social platform.

"I actually believe it's seditious, perhaps even treasonous, for The New York Times, and others, to consistently do FAKE reports in order to libel and demean 'THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.'"

The Republican further mentioned that he had completed "long, thorough, and very boring" medical examinations and had successfully "aced" cognitive tests that he claimed previous presidents had not taken.

Trump added that "the best thing that could happen to this Country would be if The New York Times would cease publication because they are a horrible, biased, and untruthful 'source' of information."

This outburst comes despite Trump regularly criticizing the media for allegedly failing to cover the health of his predecessor Joe Biden, who withdrew from the 2024 election following a poor debate performance that raised concerns about the Democrat's age.

Trump has consistently contrasted his own energy with Biden's - whom he calls "Sleepy Joe" and described at Tuesday's Pennsylvania rally as a "sleepy son of a bitch."

'False And Inflammatory'

Trump and the White House were angered by a New York Times article published in November that reported he had significantly reduced his public events, domestic travel, and working hours compared to his first term.

Scrutiny of Trump's health intensified after he appeared to struggle staying awake at several events, along with the revelation that he underwent an MRI test during an additional medical check-up in October.

"Americans deserve in-depth reporting and regular updates about the health of the leaders they elect," New York Times spokesperson Nicole Taylor said in a statement to AFP.

"Mr Trump welcomed our reporting on the age and fitness of his predecessors; we're applying the same journalistic scrutiny to his vitality."

The newspaper stated that its reporting was "heavily sourced" and based on interviews with people close to the president and medical experts.

"We won't be deterred by false and inflammatory language that distorts the role of a free press," Taylor added.

Trump's Tuesday night post followed an energetic performance at a campaign-style rally on affordability lasting more than an hour, during which he joked, sang, danced, and criticized migrants and the "fake news."

In his Truth Social post, he rejected assertions that he was slowing down or "maybe not as sharp as I once was."

"I will know when I am 'slowing up,' but it's not now!" he said.