White House lashes out over Trump health questions amid Leavitt exit

The White House was furious Wednesday as questions over President Donald Trump's health were mounting just as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced her departure from the administration.

Top aides have used a deflect-and-attack method as health experts have raised concerns over Trump's change in mental and physical demeanor, according to The Daily Beast.

"The president’s chronically bruised hands, swollen ankles, mental flubs, and public bouts of drowsiness have all raised speculation about his health—but through it all, the White House has consistently maintained that he is the 'sharpest' and most 'energetic' president, while attacking anyone who raises their eyebrows," The Beast reported.

Dr. Jonathan Reiner, former cardiologist to Vice President Dick Cheney and a CNN analyst, has pointed to troubling discrepancies in the 80-year-old president's health reports and shared those thoughts in a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday.

"Despite reassurances from the White House to the contrary, at times over the past year, the president has not looked well," Reiner wrote.

The Beast requested comment from the Trump administration and White House spokesperson Davis Ingle, 32, had a biting response.

"If it quacks like a duck, it may actually just be a Democrat hack doctor," Ingle said.

"President Trump is the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history and any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath they’ve sworn to," Ingle added.

Leavitt has pushed back on speculation surrounding Trump's bruised hands since February 2025, when people first started noticing the discoloration on the president.

"President Trump is a man of the people, and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history. His commitment is unwavering, and he proves that every single day," Leavitt said.