The daughters of a New York foot doctor have claimed that their late father helped Donald Trump avoid being sent to fight in the Vietnam War by diagnosing him with bone spurs, even though there is no paperwork to prove it ever happened.
Their father, Dr Larry Braunstein, worked as a podiatrist in Queens until he died in 2007. According to his daughters, he often told family and friends that he gave Trump the diagnosis as a favour to Trump’s father, Fred Trump. They say it was a story that came up regularly in their family and was treated almost like common knowledge at home.
Elysa Braunstein told the New York Times that it was something they had talked about many times over the years. She described it as “family lore” and said it was widely believed among relatives. However, she also admitted that she does not actually know whether her father ever examined Donald Trump in person.
The newspaper was unable to find any medical records or official documents to back up the family’s claim. There is no written proof showing that Dr Braunstein examined Trump or formally diagnosed him.
Records reviewed by the Times do show that during the 1960s, Dr Braunstein rented his medical office in Jamaica, Queens, from Fred Trump. Both daughters believe this business relationship played a role in the alleged favour. Elysa Braunstein said her father made it clear the diagnosis was done to stay on good terms with Trump’s father.
She explained that having Fred Trump’s goodwill was useful. If there was ever a problem with the building where her father worked, Fred Trump would deal with it quickly. From her perspective, the diagnosis helped maintain that easy access and support.
Elysa Braunstein also suggested that her father did not believe Donald Trump actually had any serious foot problem. In 1968, shortly after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Trump received a diagnosis of bone spurs in his heels at the age of 22, according to CNN.
This diagnosis came after Trump had already avoided the military draft four times due to being a student. The bone spurs diagnosis led to a medical exemption, meaning he did not have to serve at all.
In a 2016 interview, Trump said a doctor gave him a strong letter about his heels, which he submitted to draft officials. However, he said he could not remember the doctor’s name when asked about it.
Bone spurs are bony growths that form on the heel due to calcium build-up. They can sometimes cause pain, but many people manage them with simple treatments such as stretching, shoe inserts, or, in more serious cases, surgery. Trump has said he never had surgery for the condition.
In recent years, questions about Trump’s health have resurfaced, especially after he returned to office for a second term. His medical team announced during the summer that he has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood flow in the veins.
This condition can cause swelling, aching, and discomfort, particularly in the legs, when veins struggle to return blood properly to the heart.
