Donald Trump: Interview with Dr. Oz and Fox

Circus-like physicals
For physical exams while he was a private citizen, Trump said, "Well, I try and do it every year" 1. His long-time personal physician has written: "He has had an annual physical exam in the spring of every year" 2.

As a candidate, Trump issued three statements about his medical health:

  • 2015: (December)   MORE 3 (Physician statement #1)
  • 2016: (September)  MORE 2 (Physician statement #2)
  • 2016: (September)  SEE BELOW 1 (Interviews: Dr. Oz, Fox)
Since taking office, Trump has had more-or-less yearly physical examinations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center:
  • 2017: (January)  Takes office.
  • 2018: (January)  MORE 4 Press briefing: MORE 5
  • 2019: (February) MORE 6
  • 2019: (November) MORE 7 sham exam part 1
  • 2020: (June)     MORE 8 sham exam part 2
The main medical results from these evaluations are tabulated elsewhere MORE, and are discussed in various pages.

Comment: Incredibly, these physical examinations, which one would expect to be routine, staid affairs, took on circus-like characteristics:

  • The 2015 report had ridiculous, unprofessional hyperbole that made Trump's physician a national laughingstock. It later emerged that Trump wrote this report himself.
  • The 2018 report was delivered during a press conference in which the President's physician made good-humored and properly caveated remarks that commentators unfairly inflated to ridiculousness.
  • The first 2019 report, though more subdued (and, sadly, far less complete), still contained unsupportable prognostications from the new presidential physician.
  • The second 2019 report, for Trump's "interim checkup" -- if that's what it really was -- is a shambles. Subtexts of the nonsensical statements from the White House and the President's physician strongly suggest it was not a routine examination at all, but a hurried, abrupt consultation at Walter Reed for undisclosed medical reasons.
  • The 2020 report was no report at all, except for confirming with painful clarity the degree to which the White House physician is a patsy of his President. Worse, with a presidential election occurring less than five months later, the results of this physical examination will be the only recent medical data available to the electorate when they vote.

Hence, four times in three years confidence in the office of the President's physician was undermined -- a low ebb in its history. Even if one credulously believes that the President's medical team has been completely and honestly forthcoming, all this sturm und drang is itself dangerous, as it can easily detract from substantive medical issues -- as it already seems to have done with Trump's sleep.

More...
Days before releasing the text of Dr. Bornstein's second note 2, the Trump campaign put the candidate on television to be interviewed about his health. The most notable were interviews on The Dr. Oz Show (taped on September 14, 2016, aired next day) and on Fox and Friends (September 15, 2016). While the Oz interview was more extensive, the Fox interview contains a more telling statement.

As will be clear, neither were hard-hitting, skeptical interviews. In fact, the day before his taping with Trump, Oz made these comments when he himself was interviewed 9:

  • "It's his personal records. I want to ask him pointed questions about his health." But, also: "The metaphor for me is it's the doctor's office, the studio. So I'm not going to ask him questions he doesn't want to have answered."
  • [Asked what would happen if there are "embarrassing things" in the records] "Well, I bet you he won't release them. ... It's his decision."
  • "His campaign has been very professional about this. They haven't asked me for anything." [If offered the opportunity to talk to Dr. Bornstein, Oz said he would] "because that's a discussion if he's comfortable with he'll probably offer me." [Didn't happen.]


Fox and Friends Interview

Trump was on audio only for this interview, while recorded images played on the screen. This transcript is taken from a 34-second snippet posted to Twitter 10:

DONALD TRUMP: I did all the tests. I did every test. I did it last week and the samples all came back, and I guess I wouldn't be talking to you right now if they were bad. If they were bad, I would say let's sort of skip this, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: [jumping in] How's your cholesterol?

TRUMP: [continuing] Let's skip, hey, we'll we'll --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: [talking over] Yeah, maybe, maybe no more fast food, huh?

TRUMP: Yeah, that -- the cholesterol, I think, is quite good. Everything is really good. And if I -- honestly -- You know, I told, I told people on your show I'm gonna go get a physical because you guys mentioned that and

MALE: [quickly] Yup.

TRUMP: [continuing] I said all right I'll go get a physical. I was quick to do it and I had every single test you could have, and they were good.


The Dr. Oz Show Interview

As a back-up, the exchange on the The Dr. Oz Show, below, is archived from 1, which states "This is a partial transcript for now. We'll keep adding to it." The nature of the incompleteness is not clear, as the episode is not currently available on the web for viewing.

During the interview, Trump gave papers to Oz containing at least some of his medical results. Oz looked them over, apparently having not previously seen the results.

DONALD TRUMP: Hello, doctor.

DR. MEHMET OZ: Thank you for being here.

TRUMP: Thank you.

OZ: Thank you for joining us.

TRUMP: It's a great honor.

OZ: As a doctor, I'm always focused on the person directly in front of me.

TRUMP: Okay.

OZ: I think we should agree we're not going to discuss Secretary Clinton. Is that okay?

TRUMP: I think it's fine. We want her to get well, so I think that's fine.

OZ: How do you stay healthy on the campaign trail?

TRUMP: It's a lot of work. When I'm speaking in front of 15 and 20,000 people and I'm up there using a lot of motion, I guess in it's own way, it's a pretty healthy act. I really enjoy doing it. A lot of times these rooms are very hot, like saunas, and I guess that is a form of exercise and, you know?

OZ: So everyone's is talking about the candidates' medical records.

TRUMP: Right.

OZ: So I'd like to clear up some questions that folks are asking about your health.

TRUMP: Okay. Okay, now I am hoping to go over these exact same questions with Secretary Clinton. And I'll say this: As a doctor, when I have someone in front of me and I don't kw much about them, I do something called a review of systems. We all do. We learn this in medical school. And it's a checklist head-to-toe of what is going on in your body.

TRUMP: Okay.

OZ: I'll walk through these questions if it's okay. We start with the head. So, have you ever had head or neck issues, neurologic problems, strokes, headaches?

TRUMP: No.

OZ: Any problems with ---

TRUMP: Do we have water around here? Here.

OZ: Water.

TRUMP: No. The answer is no. I've had, I mean, no, no problem.

OZ: Hormone problems like thyroid issues?

TRUMP: No.

OZ: Blood sugar problems?

TRUMP: No.

OZ: Diabetes? Any heart problems?

TRUMP: No.

OZ: I know you're on Lipitor.

TRUMP: Yeah, I take a statin. I don't know if I should mention the name. I would, but --

OZ: You don't have to.

TRUMP: And actually I've experimented with three statins. And one seems, for me, to work the best. And it's really brought my cholesterol down into a good range.

OZ: How long have you been on it?

TRUMP: Couple of years, I would say. Couple of years.

OZ: Lung complaints, asthma, wheezing?

TRUMP: No, nothing. Really nothing. It's been -- people are amazed because I don't get much with the colds. Sometimes in the spring or in the fall, I'll get a little hay fever. And that comes and goes. Actually I don't know why this would be. It used to be worse when I was young. Maybe it's given up on me.

OZ: Yeah.

TRUMP: But when I was young, it could be pretty rough, the hay fever. But very, very little now. I don't know if that's something that you're not that surprised at, but the hay fever is not very bad. But that would be about the only thing. I haven't had a cold in a long time. Years.

OZ: Stomach problems, intestine issues, reflux, diverticulitis?

TRUMP: No.

OZ: Bladder or prostate issues? I saw the one letter released had a low PSA.

TRUMP: My PSA has been very good. I don't know what's going on, but so many of my friends are having problems where they're getting the operation or they're going for radiation. And it's always the first number I ask for. I say give me that number. I want to know, and my number's been -- as you say it's been a very good number.

OZ: Any history of personal cancer?

TRUMP: No, none whatsoever.

OZ: Skin issues?

TRUMP: No, very little. Probably you could say -- I try and stay out of the sun for the most part. I wear a hat. I play golf. And I wear a hat. But I've had no problem -- no major problem -- but certainly no problem with skin.

OZ: Blood clots or any other blood problems?

TRUMP: No. No.

OZ: Let me turn to the family history.

TRUMP: I have to be very boring for you.

OZ: No, no.

TRUMP: This is going to be very boring.

OZ: It's what I do as a doctor.

TRUMP: I would tell you -- You know, my wife is a big fan of your show, and I would absolutely say because I view this as in a way going to see my doctor. Just a little bit public. That's all.
[applause]

OZ: Let me ask you if I can about family history. I'm most concerned with problems that happened before your parents or other relatives were younger than 65 years of age.

TRUMP: Okay.

OZ: Any dementia or Alzheimer's?

TRUMP: No. My father had -- he was close to 94 years old, and the last few years he developed -- we probably think it was Alzheimer's, which was very hard for us because he was such a smart guy, such a wonderful guy and, you know, that's a rough thing. Physically he was unbelievable. His heart was powerful. Wouldn't stop. I mean, it wouldn't stop. And he lived to a very old age and was really great right up toward the end. My mother was mentally unbelievable and she actually had an accident. She would have lived well into her 90's. She was close to 90 but, but she would have lived well into her 90's. Her family even -- this is many years ago -- but her family would routinely go into the high 90's.

OZ: Any history among other relatives of cancer or heart disease at a young age?

TRUMP: No, none.

OZ: When was the last time that you had a regular physical exam?

TRUMP: Well, I try and do it every year. I've had the same doctor for a long time. And some would say why don't you change? I said, you know, I've been lucky. I'm here. Are we a little superstitious? I'm not looking to find some genius and all of a sudden I -- I just want -- I have a very good doctor. I think he's been -- he's done a really good job for me. He is a member of Lenox Hill hospital, respected person. I went to him on Friday, and I had a test. And I just got the -- I literally just got the results.

OZ: Of your medical test.

TRUMP: Of my medical test.

OZ: This is with Dr. Bornstein?

TRUMP: Dr. Bornstein, yeah. Respected guy. Good guy, and I've been with him a long time. A lot of people say you could change doctors. I just say you know what? I've been with him probably over 30 years. I think the last thing I want to do is switch doctors.

[COMMERCIAL]

OZ: If your health is as strong as it seems from your review of systems, why not share your medical records?

TRUMP: I have really no problem in doing it. I have it right here. Should I do it? I don't care.
[applause] It's two letters. One is the report, and the other is from Lenox Hill hospital.

OZ: May I see them? These are the reports from --

TRUMP: Those were all the tests just done last week.

OZ: September 13, 2016. Again, from Dr. Bornstein. It says -- I'm going to say this is a -- first of all, thank you for sharing this. This is a pretty comprehensive -- can I read it to you real quickly, and I'll try to quickly interpret it?

TRUMP: Sure.

OZ: Cholesterol -- we have 6'3," 236 pounds. Cholesterol is 169. The HDL, which is healthy cholesterol, 63. The lousy LDL cholesterol is 94. Those are good numbers. Triglycerides are good -- that's the amount of fat in your blood. The PSA, like the other let published before, is 0.15, which is very low. Blood pressure ,116 over 70. Blood sugar, 99.

TRUMP: That's good. 116 over 70.

OZ: Yeah, I mean.

TRUMP: I've always been lucky with blood pressure. I've always had very good blood pressure.

OZ: Blood sugar, 99. And C-reactive protein also low. Your liver function, your thyroid functional is all normal. You had a colonoscopy performed July 10, 2013, which was normal with no polyps. Calcium score and your heart, 2013, also was low at 98. Oh my goodness. EKG chest x-ray on April 14 was normal. A normal echocardiogram was done two years ago. And your testosterone's 441, which is actually -- it's good. It's good.
[applause] You're only on the statin drug you mentioned. If a patient of mine had these records, I'd be really happy. And I'd send them on their way.

TRUMP: That's good.

OZ: I must say, I would have shared this earlier. Why didn't you blast this out?

TRUMP: I didn't think it was necessary, you know, the public has known me for a long time. They've never seen me in a hospital. Okay? One thing if I'm in a hospital it's going to be out there, big league. I had my appendix out when I was 11, and that was the last time I was in a hospital. That was a one-night deal. So I've spent basically one night in a hospital. You know, I'm very fortunate in that respect. But genetically -- I think you're probably a believer in that, a lot of people say that is sort of the most important thing -- my parents lived very long lives. My mother's family was amazing because everybody over in Scotland, everybody was into their 90s, late 90s -- I mean, beyond. And my father, very similar. A little bit different, but very similar. So my parents lived very long lives. And good lives, too. They're great people, but good lives.

OZ: I thank you for sharing this. It does help address some of the comments about the candidates' health, which I think in this modern era people expect to know enough about the people we're voting for to know that they're safe. So I am appreciative.

TRUMP: Well, I do feel the question is often asked: Should you show it? It's very private. It is all very private stuff. Should you be showing it? I think when you're running for president of the United States, or maybe any other country, in all fairness, but when you're running for president, I think you have an obligation to be healthy. I just don't think you can do the work if you're not healthy. I don't think you can represent the country properly if you're not a healthy person. And, you know, I've been going around -- I started this journey for president on June 16, and since then I probably have taken off like almost no days. I've been going from state to state, from city to city. So in a certain way I get a lot of exercise -- ore than most people would think.

OZ: Besides golf, is that your major exercise?

TRUMP: Yeah. I don't play much golf, though, lately. We have a president who plays so much golf he could be on the PGA tour. [laughter]

OZ: Let's focus -- no, no. We'll focus on Mr. Trump. We'll focus on you. Let's talk about stamina. You use that word a lot. You made it an issue in this campaign. You argue a president has to have a tremendous amount of stamina. If elected at age 70, you will be the oldest person to ever enter the oval office. Why do you think you have the stamina for the job?

TRUMP: Just about the same age as Ronald Reagan. And Hillary is a year behind me. I would say just based on my life. I actually -- and I don't know if this makes sense -- I feel as good today as I did when I was 30. And you mentioned golf, because I've been a good golfer over the years. I won a lot of club championships and things. And that's a good mentality because to win a club championship you have to be very strong up here. And when I play golf, I feel that I'm maybe a better golfer today than I was 15, 20 years ago. I don't know what it is. I hit the ball as far. Now maybe the equipment is a little bit better. I always say the equipment is better, the muscles are a little bit worse. Whatever it is. I hit the ball as far. I hit the ball better. I putt just as well. That has to do with the hands. You can't have problems with hand movement, if you're going to be a good putter. But just as an indication, I think I'm a better player today than I was 15, 20, 30 years ago.

OZ: When do you wake up in the morning?

TRUMP: But I don't get to play very much anymore.

OZ: When you look into the mirror, how old is the person you are looking at? What do you see?

TRUMP: I would say I see a person that's 35 years old.
[applause] I mean, I feel -- I feel the same. I mean, Tom Brady is a friend of mine. We play golf together, the great quarterback. He's a phenomenal guy, great athlete, and I'm with him, and I feel the same age as him. It's crazy.

OZ: How many hours a night do you sleep? What is your sleep life?

TRUMP: I never needed much sleep. But I've always said that is a function of do you enjoy life. I don't know if that makes sense to you. Like you love what you do? I love what I do. I'm even loving politically what I do. I'm having a lot of fun. It's a lot of work but I love -- it's called Make America great Again. I love what we're doing. I love this movement that's been created. Many of the big political commentators have said this is the single greatest political event they've ever seen -- you know, what's happened with this whole trump thing. And really it's not me. It's like I'm the messenger. It's the movement -- where you say a day before that you're going to be in Charlotte, North Carolina, and 20,000 people show up and pack an arena, and they have to turn away 10.

OZ: But there is a lot of stress.

TRUMP: Well I don't find stress. I find that if I go to -- let's say somebody said, and I'm fortunate because I have a wonderful wife that understands me, and she'll say, you don't want to go on vacation. She'd like to go on vacation, by the way, but she's not selfish. But I find that if I go on a vacation, it's like that's more stress to me, because I want to get back. And if I go on a vacation where they don't have phones? I did that once 20 years ago. I went on a vacation where the phones were, like, one of these things where you're not supposed to make phone calls and you weren't able to make phone calls. And I lasted about a day and a half. I said, let's get out of here. This is terrible.

OZ: But if running for president and running a company or companies doesn't cause you stress, what does? Something has to --

TRUMP: I think running for president causes more stress -- you know, I built a great company, I have an unbelievable company. And that hasn't been stressful over the last, you know, number of years. Now when you're building it it's more stress and everything else and you're always over-leveraged and you're fighting with banks. But now it's become just a great, great company. And so there's not stress there. I think running for president is. One of the reasons is the media is so dishonest. They come up with stories that aren't true, and you try and knock the hell out of the story and you're always fighting.

OZ: Do you get angry about that? Anger and hostility has significant health consequences. How do you cope with that? How do you get past it?

TRUMP: I fight back.

OZ: Not with the press, but with anything.

TRUMP: It's a great question. I don't think it matters that much.

OZ: What doesn't matter?

TRUMP: You saw the polls. The polls are really -- especially over the last week -- the polls have been believable. And I'll tell you what: In theory, if it mattered I wouldn't be leading nationally. CNN just came up with a poll where I'm up two nationally.

OZ: If what didn't matter?

TRUMP: If the press mattered so much. It's amazing. It doesn't matter as much like it used to matter.

OZ: So what type of temperament is required for the person who becomes president of the United States?

TRUMP: Unbelievable strong and smart temperament, and I think it's my grandest asset. I think temperament is my single greatest asset.

OZ: Why do so many people question your temperament?

TRUMP: They don't question -- it's Madison Avenue. Madison Avenue went to Hillary Clinton and they said -- and when I say Madison Avenue, I'm talking about the advertising people, the people that make up the ads. And they said, let's see, and they put 15 things on a board. "Oh, temperament. Let's go after temperament." The people that know me -- I win. I know how to win. You can't win unless you have a great temperament. I know people that can't win. I know people that are very talented at sports, and they never win.
[applause]

OZ: Making a decision under pressure is the most important part probably of a president's job description. How do you prepare yourself for those big decisions?

TRUMP: Well, I think I've been prepared. That's what I do. That's what my whole life is. The big decision was when I decided to run on June 16. I've never done this before. They had one -- I think it was sort of funny, because I was about five or six months into the campaign when I was going for are the nomination. You know, I was against 17 people -- mostly senators, governors, all of the highest level of their profession. And I came in, and they said that I had five months' experience, and they had 219 years -- in other words when you added it all up. So people would say based on that how do you win? And I ended up winning. Winning, I'm so happy to say, with the highest number of votes in the history of the Republican Party. There's never been anybody.

OZ: When I graduated from medical school, I took an oath to do no harm. Do you have an oath or mantra that you repeat back to yourself?

TRUMP: No, I don't repeat it back to myself, but I tell you my theme and what I'm living for now is making America great again. That's what I want to do. I want to make America great again.

OZ: We'll be right back with our very special guest.

[COMMERCIAL]

[SEGMENT WITH IVANKA TRUMP ON CHILD CARE PROPOSAL]
...

OZ: I consider women the chief health officer of the family. It's another additional responsibility -- sort of discussed [unintelligible]. And I wonder if I can turn to their health, because they're the caregivers. They're the last ones to get health. Coverage for basic screening is challenge which we're going to have to tackle. But let me talk to my candidate about a big topic that comes up all the time, which is birth control. Do you think it should be mandated in this country that we reimburse women for their birth control?

TRUMP: I think what we have in birth control is, you know, when you have to get a prescription, that's a pretty tough something to climb. And I would say it should not be a prescription. It should not be done by prescription. You have women that just aren't in a position to go get a prescription. And more and more people are coming out and saying that, but I am not in favor of prescription for birth control.

OZ: What is your stand on abortion today?

TRUMP: I am pro-life.

OZ: And there is a misconception -- that I think you would argue anyway -- about the views that you have on women. And this comes up a lot. Why do you think there is such a discussion going on now about that problem?

TRUMP: I don't know. You know, it's very interesting. Because I just think, look, I have such respect for women. My mother was one of the great people I've of known in my life. I just think that somehow I have a narrative out there -- you know, when you have hundreds of millions of dollars spent on you in advertising, okay, on advertising, on false advertising in many cases, but negative hit jobs, you know, I guess maybe --

OZ: You have said unkind things about women. Do you regret those?

TRUMP: It depends what you're talking about. I'll give you an example: When I'm having fun, when I was never going to be a politician. I decided a year and a half ago, let's do it to straighten out country, because the country is a mess. But before that had I known I was going to be a politician -- Howard Stern is a friend of mine -- I wouldn't have done his show. We have fun. We have fun. A lot of people understand that. We have fun. So we'll talk about women. We'll talk about men. We'll talk about everything, and we're all having a good time. Now if I ever as running for president, I wouldn't have done the show, or I would have given him very boring answers. We're all having fun together. IVANKA TRUMP: I do think there is a bit of a false narrative on this out there, though -- In that my father speaks his mind, so whether it's a man or a woman, if you attack him he'll attack you back. In a certain way, it would be strange if he handled women and men differently. so he can be a little rough with people once in a while, but it is often that they're coming at you first, almost always that they're coming at you first.

TRUMP: I like to be nice to people, but sometimes people aren't nice to me.

OZ: All right.
[applause] IVANKA TRUMP: But I think one of the things that is the ultimate testament is his track record of employing women at the highest levels, long before it was popular to do so. And he's been doing it for 30 years. I mean, I grew up seeing some of the most amazing female role models at the trump organization doing what were very much considered at the time men's jobs. They were in construction. They were in development. People weren't in those positions, and he was giving them an opportunity to. There are women all over the city who are testament to, who are now very successful, have companies that are incredibly well-known, that rose through the ranks and learned their trades through my father. So I have a tough time with that narrative because his long track record of supporting, advocating for women and promoting women is -- speaks for itself.

OZ: I thank you very much for doing the show.

[COMMERCIAL]

OZ: Back with Mr. Trump. We'll talk about some of the hot-button health issues facing this country. First up: addiction. Just this week, this picture shocked our nation. Two parents slumped over from a heroin overdose with their 4-year-old son in the back seat of the car. Mr. Trump, you said publicly that we are losing the war on drugs badly.

TRUMP: Totally. Totally.

OZ: How do we turn this around?

TRUMP: We have to stop it at the border. It is coming in mostly through, as you know, the southern border. It's pouring in. And we're going to have to do something. I was just given the endorsement by 16,500 border patrol agents. They say you're going to be the only one that's going to stop it. Hillary -- well, I won't get involved in politics but --

OZ: You've been so good.

TRUMP: I've done very well. [laughter]

TRUMP: But she won't do it. But I will tell you we need to have strong borders. It's just pouring in. You know, it's less expensive than candy. You go to the store, you want to buy candy -- you can buy heroin in some places for less. I go to New Hampshire. I go to Pennsylvania. I go to different places. It's the biggest -- Ohio is having such a problem. We're going to have to have very, very strong borders, and we're going to have to stop it, because it is poisoning our youth. It's worse than it's ever been. I mean, you have cities where they have overdoses -- 25 and 30 overdoses a week, and some of them last weekend a certain city -- I won't mention which one -- 22 people died in one weekend.

OZ: So should it be a criminal problem or a medical problem?

TRUMP: Everything. It is every kind of a problem but certainly a criminal problem for the people that bring it in.

OZ: May I ask a personal question? I know your brother Fred and you've talked about him.

TRUMP: Yes.

OZ: Was an alcoholic. Died at a very young age, 43. And I understand you don't drink.

TRUMP: I don't drink.

OZ: So how has having an addiction in your family informed or shaped your view on addiction?

TRUMP: I had a great brother named Fred. He was a very handsome guy, the life of the party. Just this incredible guy. Probably around college time he started drinking a little bit and then a little bit more and a little bit more. And he really destroyed his life. He was so incredible. He had everything you could want. The best looking, the best personality. He had everything. Smart. But I watched and he would tell me, he knew he had a problem. I was quite a bit younger than him. He would tell me, no drugs, no alcohol. But see in those days, it wasn't drugs. But he would say, no drugs, no alcohol. He would really focus on the alcohol, because that was very much early in the drug cycle. I don't know how drugs were in those days.

OZ: Much less.

TRUMP: But he would say -- and then I would see he also smoked, and I would say smoking. I always say -- I tell my kids no drugs, no alcohol, no cigarettes. But the world is so competitive that if you're stuck on drugs or alcohol, you're not going to be able to compete. It's going to be a disaster. And you know, it potentially can ruin your life.

OZ: All right. So if elected you've argued that the Affordable Care Act can no longer be in place. You would repeal it. What can you put in its place that can ensure we don't have a lot of folks who currently have coverage who would otherwise lose it?

TRUMP: Well, Obamacare as it's called is really having a hard time. Okay? Insurance companies are leaving on a daily basis. They can't do it. Premiums are through the roof. You look at the premiums, in Texas through Blue Cross Blue Shield it's gone up 60 percent. And 60 percent is going to be low compared to some of the numbers. A lot of the big numbers will be coming out before the election. They're trying to have the date moved till after the election. Would be very unfair because this is election-changing. It's a disaster. We have to come up, and we can come up with many different plans. In fact, plans you don't even know about will be devised because we're going to come up with plans, -- health care plans -- that will be so good. And so much less expensive both for the country and for the people. And so much better. With Obamacare, the deductible I don't know if you've seen what's gone on with the deductible. The deductible's so high that unless you die a very vicious, horrible, catastrophic death, and it lasts a long time, you're not going to get to use it because it's crazy. It's so high. Again, such a high barrier. We have to come up with a plan, a private plan other than for those that can't do that. We have to help them, too.

OZ: So what do we do with the folks who fall through the cracks?

TRUMP: We have to go and help them through the medicaid system. We have to help them publicly. We're going to have to do it. Nobody wants to see people -- and it's totally unfair -- a lot of people said oh, gee that's not the thing to say. I said, well you know what? If I can't say that, I'm not running for office. There are people who say everybody should have a great, wonderful, private plan, and if you can't afford that, and there is a percentage, a fairly large percentage that can't afford it, then those people don't get taken care of. That's wrong. We're going to take care of that through the Medicaid system. We're going to take care of those people. We have no choice. We're not going to let people die on the streets. But we will have competition that will be so strong for people's business -- Now, one thing you have to do is get rid of the monopolies. Because every state has a line wrapped around it. You know, they'd rather have the insurance companies and the various companies -- they'd rather have one state where they're by themselves than be able to bid all over the United States. You understand that. We have to get rid of the lines. We have to have competition. And we will have, you will have plans that you don't even know about right now. They'll get better and better and better, and they'll get cheaper and cheaper, and it'll be a beautiful thing to see. But right now Obamacare is not affordable by the country and it's not affordable by people.

OZ: You mentioned you don't want people dying in the streets. So what if an undocumented immigrant collapses and needs life-saving therapy? Do we have a moral responsibility, do you believe, to help that person?

TRUMP: Well, under my plan the undocumented or as you would say illegal immigrant wouldn't be in the country. They only come in the country legally.
[applause]

OZ: We'll be right back.

[COMMERCIAL]

OZ: I'm still processing this letter, because I didn't know we would get it. But you're 6'3," 236 pounds as I mentioned. In my mind I'm thinking your body surface area and your BMI Is high. It's probably close to 30, which is sort of the barrier for most people.

TRUMP: Okay.

OZ: Do your doctors or family ever give you a hard time about your weight?

TRUMP: Yeah. I think I could lose a little weight. I've always been a little bit this way. You know? I've sort of always been that. Probably a good swimmer, but I've always been this way. I think that, yeah. If I had one thing I'd like to lose weight. It's tough because of the way I live. But the one thing I would like to do is be able to drop 15, 20 pounds. It would be good.

OZ: So you very kindly offered to take questions from our audience.

TRUMP: Sure.

OZ: That still okay?

TRUMP: Sure.

OZ: If I can get a hand mic. Go ahead.

AUDIENCE: Hi. Mr. Trump, I am a teacher and I see obesity every day. How would you go about handling the obesity problem in the country -- especially among children -- and the fact that many schools are not providing enough exercise in recess time?

TRUMP: That is a school thing to a certain extent. I guess you could say it's a hereditary thing, too. I would imagine it certainly is a hereditary thing. But a lot of schools aren't providing proper food because they have budget problems, and they're buying cheaper food and not as good of food. And the big thing -- when I went to school I always loved sports, and I would always -- I loved to eat and I loved sports, and it worked, because I could do both. A lot of schools today they don't have sports programs and that is a big problem. I would try and open that up. I'm a big believer in the whole world of sports. I would try and open that up.
[applause]

OZ: Nicole, go ahead.

AUDIENCE: Hello, Mr. Trump. Do you believe the intolerance and prejudices that citizens of this country are spewing back and forth to each other are healthy and will this have an effect on the country's mental health?

TRUMP: I think it is very unhealthy, and I think it's very bad. We really have to come together as a country. No. The -- there is a great division. There's no question about it. I'm sure you see it, too. We will come together as a country.
[applause]

OZ: Thank you very much for coming on the show. Thanks for spending time with our audience. Mr. Donald Trump.

Cited Sources
  1. Cillizza, Chris; Blake, Aaron. Donald Trump's interview with Dr. Oz was just as amazingly strange as we thought it would be. (Published 15 September, 2016. Downloaded on 2019-12-01.) Available on the web: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/09/15/donald-trumps-visit-with-dr-oz-was-just-as-amazing-as-you-though-it-would-be/

    Comment: Also includes annotations by Cillizza and Blake. Their interview transcript is archived here: MORE

  2. Bornstein, Harold N. [Public Letter]. (Published 13 Sept. 2016. Downloaded on 2019-11-30.) Available on the web: https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/DJT_Medical_Records_.pdf

    Comment: Dr. Bornstein became Trump's physician in 1980. Bornstein's letter is linked to by Frizell (op cit) and is archived here -->   MORE

  3. Bump, Philip. Donald Trump's doctor came down with a case of Trumpitis. (Published 26 Aug. 2016 (revision of original Dec. 2015 story). Downloaded on 2019-11-25.) Available on the web: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/12/14/donald-trumps-doctor-has-come-down-with-a-case-of-trumpitis/

    Comment: This articles relates to the first of Dr. Bornstein's letters, reprinted here -->   MORE

  4. Jackson, Ronny L. (M.D.). The President's Periodic Physical Exam. (Published January 16, 2018. Downloaded on 2019-11-21.) Available on the web: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Summary-of-Physical-Exam-for-President-Trump-12-Jan-2018.pdf

    Comment: The document is archived here -->   MORE. Also highly informative is the press briefing where the report was delivered: MORE.

  5. Sanders, Sarah; Jackson Ronny. Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and Dr. Ronny Jackson. (Published 16 Jan. 2018. Downloaded on 2019-12-28.) Available on the web: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-sarah-sanders-and-dr-ronny-jackson-01162018/

    Comment: A transcript of the press briefing is archived here --> MORE

  6. Conley, Sean (D.O.). The President's Second Periodic Physical Exam. (Published February 14, 2019. Downloaded on 2019-11-25.) Available on the web: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/memorandum-physician-president-2/

    Comment: The document is archived here -->   MORE

  7. Conley, Sean (D.O.). Interim Check Up. (Published November 18, 2019. Downloaded on 2019-11-21.) Available on the web: https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5dd3f3c7897d147ad4bb10f8

    Comment: The document is archived here -->   MORE

  8. Conley, Sean (D.O.). President Donald J. Trump's Periodic Physical Exam. (Published June 3, 2020. Downloaded on 2020-06-10.) Available on the web: https://media.arkansasonline.com/news/documents/2020/06/03/Trump_Physical_Exam.pdf

    Comment: The document is unacceptably vague about dates. For example, it is not possible to determine on what date between Nov. 2019 and April 2020 the President's weight was measured. The document is archived here -->   MORE

  9. Gass, Nick. Dr. Oz pledges to avoid questions Trump `doesn't want to have answered'. (Published September 13, 2016. Downloaded on 2019-12-03.) Available on the web: https://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/dr-oz-trump-medical-records-228089
  10. Fox and Friends. [34-second audio snippet]. (Published September 15, 2016. Downloaded on 2019-12-03.) Available on the web: https://twitter.com/foxandfriends/status/776378583375687680/video/1

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