A statement from Dr Harold Bornstein, the long-time personal physician to Donald Trump, has triggered a transatlantic debate on the adequacy of presidential medical disclosures. In a brief letter released on Tuesday, Dr Bornstein declared that Mr Trump’s health is “excellent” and that he has “no significant medical issues”. The summary, however, lacks specific test results or diagnostic details, a lacuna that has drawn criticism from the UK’s General Medical Council (GMC).
In an unusual intervention, the GMC’s chief executive, Charlie Massey, said the letter “falls short of the standards expected for any patient, let alone a head of state”. He called for an overhaul of the presidential check-up protocol, suggesting independent oversight and a standardised reporting template. The controversy has revived questions about transparency in high-level political medicine.
Mr Trump, at 74, has not released a full medical record since his 2019 physical, which included a body mass index in the overweight range and elevated cholesterol. Dr Bornstein’s latest note, dated February 2024, is the first public update in over a year. It concludes with a statement that Mr Trump “remains in excellent health and has the stamina to endure the rigours of a campaign”.
The GMC’s remarks have been met with surprise in US medical circles, where such regulatory commentary on foreign leaders is rare. Professor Sir John Tooke, former president of the Royal College of Physicians, described the GMC’s move as “unprecedented but entirely appropriate given the global implications of presidential fitness”. The White House press secretary did not respond to a request for comment.
Dr Bornstein could not be reached for further details. The incident underscores a growing divergence in medical transparency standards between the United Kingdom and the United States, particularly for elected officials.
