The daughters of a foot doctor from New York said that their father, who has since passed away, once diagnosed Donald Trump with bone spurs so he could avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War.
Their father, Dr. Larry Braunstein, worked as a podiatrist in Queens and died in 2007. According to his daughters, he made this diagnosis as a favor to Trump’s father, Fred Trump. They said this was a story their dad would tell often over the years.
One of the daughters explained that this story was well known in their family and came up a lot in conversations with relatives and friends. However, there is no official evidence or paperwork that confirms this version of events. She also admitted that she isn’t even sure whether her father actually examined Donald Trump at all.
At the time, Dr. Braunstein rented his office space from Fred Trump in Jamaica, Queens. His daughters believe that the diagnosis was done as a kind gesture or favor in return for that business relationship. In fact, they said that because of this connection, their father had easy access to Fred Trump whenever he needed help with anything related to the building. If there was ever a problem, he could call, and it would be sorted out quickly.
The daughter also said that her father gave the impression that Donald Trump didn’t really have any serious foot problem. Despite this, in 1968, when Trump was 22 years old and had just finished university, he was officially diagnosed with bone spurs in his heels. Before that, he had already received four draft deferments so he could stay in school.
Years later, in an interview, Trump said that a doctor had written him a very strong letter about his heels, which he used to avoid military service. He said he couldn’t remember the doctor’s name.
Bone spurs in the heel are small bony growths that can develop over time, usually because of calcium buildup. They can sometimes cause pain, but they are often treatable with simple things like stretching, special shoe inserts, or, in some cases, surgery. Trump has said that he never had surgery for the condition.
More recently, questions have been raised about Trump’s health during his time in office. It was revealed that he has a condition called chronic venous insufficiency, which happens when the veins in the body—often in the legs—don’t work properly. This can lead to symptoms like swelling, aching, and a heavy or throbbing feeling.
