Karoline Leavitt is strongly defending Donald Trump after a New York Times investigation claimed the president has sharply reduced his public appearances. According to the Times, Trump — who is the oldest president ever elected — has cut his events by almost 40 percent compared to his 2016 campaign. Their report said that during his first 10 months in office this term, he held 1,029 public events, down from 1,688 during the same period in his first campaign.
Leavitt immediately denied the story. She told reporters that the Times report was “completely false” and accused the newspaper of pushing a misleading narrative. During a White House briefing on December 1, she held up another article from the same reporter titled, “Biden is ‘doing 100 percent fine’ after tripping while boarding Air Force One.” She suggested the outlet was biased because the same journalist had written both pieces.
She insisted Trump is actually extremely active, saying he is “the most accessible president” and that he is in meetings “around the clock.” She made it clear she believes the Times intentionally portrayed Trump as weak or slowing down, even though she claims the opposite is true.
That same day, Leavitt also addressed concerns about Trump’s health. She revealed that Trump had a “preventative” MRI scan in October to check his heart and abdomen. She said the results would be released soon as part of the White House’s promise to be transparent. The announcement came after weeks of rumors that Trump has been starting his days much later than in previous years. According to earlier reporting, his official schedule now often begins after noon, while during his first term he regularly began work around 10:30 a.m.
Those changes have raised questions about his physical stamina. There have also been several unusual public moments that worried observers — times when Trump appeared to doze off at events, walked unsteadily, or showed swelling in his ankles. Cameras even captured what looked like a bruise on his hand covered with makeup.
Trump fired back at the New York Times on Truth Social. He called their report a “hit piece” and accused the outlet of lying about his energy level. He said he is working harder than ever and blamed the “Radical Left” for purposely spreading negative stories about him. He insisted his health is strong and pointed to what he described as a “perfect physical exam” and a cognitive test that he says he “aced.”
He also noted that his poll numbers are high and argued that America is seeing record levels of investment under his leadership. According to him, this proves he is not slowing down. He admitted that one day he might feel less energetic, since it happens to everyone, but he said that day is not now.
Trump also spoke about the MRI. He called the scan “perfect” and said he is willing to release the results if people want to see them. At the same time, he admitted he didn’t actually know what part of his body the scan was checking, but he emphasized that it was not his brain. He said this confidently, pointing again to his cognitive test, which he claims he passed with top marks.
So far, the White House has not provided more details about the MRI or his full yearly physical. The lack of information has led to more questions, especially as concerns about his age, stamina, and public behavior continue to grow. But both Trump and Karoline Leavitt insist he is healthy, active, and working harder than ever—and that the media is simply trying to create a false image of a president who is slowing down.
