In October, Newsmax published a Reuters wire article stating that “President Donald Trump said on Monday he had undergone an MRI examination, without saying why.” A couple months later, Newsmax tried to walk that back. A Dec. 6 article stated:
President Donald Trump did not undergo an MRI during his most recent medical evaluation, despite press reports and the president’s earlier public remark suggesting otherwise.
The president misspoke when referencing his diagnostic tests, according to people familiar with the president’s medical records. Trump had actually undergone only a CT scan, a routine imaging procedure commonly used to assess cardiovascular health in men over 50, according to sources.
Here is what happened: In April, the president went to Walter Reed Hospital for his annual physical. He received a positive report of overall good health.
The president returned to Walter Reed in October, for what the White House described as a “semiannual physical.”
Asked about the most recent check-up, the president, speaking informally with reporters, mentioned “an MRI they did.”
The comment prompted immediate questions, as the official summary of the president’s medical exam — released by the White House physician earlier this year — made no reference to any medical issue requiring an MRI follow-up.
Anti-Trump pundits and internet influencers seized on the information, claiming the president might be suffering from a mystery illness.
Some medical experts suggested the MRI exam was done to detect cognitive issues and evidence of a possible stroke the president might have suffered.
Ah, so this walkback was all about proving “anti-Trump pundits” wrong, with added downplaying of Trump’s central role in getting this wrong. The article continued:
A coronary calcium CT scan is extremely common for men over 50. Doctors say it is quick, effective, and provides a reliable snapshot of cardiovascular risk.
Why did the White House not clarify the nature of the exam?
A source told Newsmax the reason is uncertain, but noted, “the president loves it when the fake news goes down rabbit holes, all these theories about his health over an MRI that never happened.”
A few weeks later, Newsmax crowed in a Jan. 1 article that a fellow right-wing publication backed up its reporting:
Newsmax was the first news organization to accurately report that President Donald Trump did not undergo an MRI scan during his October medical visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but instead received a CT scan — a key detail that was confirmed this week by The Wall Street Journal.
Trump had misspoken and publicly described the test as an MRI, prompting speculation and commentary about his health, including media claims he may have suffered a stroke.
[…]That reporting has now been independently confirmed by The Wall Street Journal, which published a detailed account examining how the president has sometimes described his medical care imprecisely as he confronts questions related to age and fitness for office.
“It wasn’t an MRI,” Trump told the Journal. “It was less than that. It was a scan.”
The distinction is medically significant.
Later that day, Newsmax called in a Trump toady to suck up to the president:
Dr. Drew Pinsky, the chief patient officer at the Wellness Company, told Newsmax on Thursday the press continues to get it wrong when it comes to reporting on President Donald Trump’s health.
“I only wish I could have his health at 80,” Pinsky told “Finnerty.”
“It’s extraordinary. I pray to God I am granted that kind of health at that age.”
Pinsky was responding to The Wall Street Journal report that extensively interviewed Trump about his health and confirmed previous Newsmax reporting that Trump had a CT scan during a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, not an MRI.
[…]But Pinsky said the Journal’s depiction of his CT scan was “ignorant,” saying the use of the CT scan machine was for a heart calcium test.
“A level of ignorance is displayed here that is so typical of the press,” Pinsky said.
“It’s full of nuance and ignorance. It’s disgusting.”
Pinsky said Trump had a coronary calcium score, which is done with a CT scanner.
“It’s a way of determining whether there’s calcium in the arteries of the coronaries, the arteries of the heart,” Pinsky said.
“And if there is, guess what? They treat them with rosuvastatin and aspirin.”
Pinsky said he believes Trump has a calcium score of 2 to 400, and it explains why he is taking more aspirin than normal.
“Trump taking aspirin is nothing. It reduces the risk of stroke and reduces heart disease,” Pinsky said.
This prompted an entire digression over aspirin. First up was a Jan. 1 article:
President Donald Trump revealed in a Thursday interview with The Wall Street Journal that he is taking a 325-milligram dose of aspirin daily — four times the low-dose (often called baby aspirin) that many doctors recommend for people with cardiovascular disease.
The president’s daily regimen has led to easy bruising and bleeding, raising concerns in media reports.
Trump, 79, defended his choice as a longtime habit intended to “keep blood thin” and protect his heart, even though his physicians have advised a lower dose.
[…]White House physician Capt. Sean Barbabella confirmed Trump’s daily use of 325 mg of aspirin for “cardiac prevention,” noting that doctors would prefer he take the lower 81 mg dose — a regimen most commonly recommended for adults at risk for heart attacks or strokes.
Newsmax went to its resident doctor to temper enthusiasm for the aspirin-taking in a Jan. 2 article:
To help put those remarks into context, Newsmax’s “Newsline” spoke with world-renowned cardiologist Dr. Chauncey Crandall, director of preventive medicine at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Florida.
One detail that drew attention was President Trump’s statement that he takes 325 milligrams of aspirin each day. Most doctors who recommend aspirin for heart protection advise a much lower dose, typically 81 milligrams daily, often referred to as baby aspirin.
“Aspirin can be bad for many people,” Crandall said. “Historically, people used to take higher doses like President Trump does, and I believe he’s probably on 325 milligrams because he’s used to it and hasn’t had a problem.”
Crandall noted that lifestyle factors may also play a role. “He likely has some form of arthritis from golfing, and the higher dose helps with pain and inflammation,” he said.
Still, Crandall, editor of the popular newsletter Dr. Crandall’s Heart Health Report, emphasized that higher doses are not appropriate for most adults.
By what standard is Crandall’s newsletter “popular”? It’s not explained.