A lawyer who represented Donald Trump has shared his assessment of the president’s physical and cognitive health. Trump, at 80 years old, is the second-oldest acting US President in history. For months, critics and experts alike have raised concerns about his well-being. Incoherent speeches, apparent struggles walking and mysterious bruising on his hands have all fuelled speculation that something is wrong. However, the White House has vehemently denied any issues. The president’s annual medical exam earlier this year claimed he was in “excellent health”. Capt Sean Barbabella, Trump’s physician, said he had “strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function”.
Now, in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, the President’s former lawyer reveals his interactions with the most powerful man in the world that led him to reach his own verdict over his health.
Michael T. van der Veen represented the POTUS during his second impeachment trial in 2021. At the time, Trump was the outgoing 45th US President and faced a single article of impeachment: incitement of insurrection.
Trump was ultimately acquitted and went on to return to the White House in 2025. Given his close proximity to the president during his first term, it seemed only natural to ask Michael whether he believed there was any truth to the rumours around his health – and his answer was unequivocal.
He said: “No, not that I’m aware of. He’s a large, physically healthy man. He’s robust, yet his level of energy is always, in my experience, very strong.”
He then recalled one meeting in Mar-a-Lago that showed the state of his cognitive ability. Van der Veen continued: “I was down in Mar-a-Lago with him, and we were going through the dining room, and he stopped at every table and said, ‘Hey, Joe, you tell your brother membership’s going up in January. Make sure he joins’. He’s constantly selling; he’s constantly engaging with people. And I have not witnessed any cognitive or physical decline.”
Michael’s first encounter with the president was far removed from the drama of a courtroom – the pair first met on a golf course. Michael shared his first impressions of Trump. He said: “My first meeting with President Trump actually was on a golf course, and I spent 18 holes with him. I really got to see him outside of an Oval Office kind of setting and he’s an enormously impressive guy.
“He is physically large, but he’s also outgoing, he’s boisterous, he’s a salesman. He is fluid on many topics and really an enjoyable and entertaining guy to spend time with.”
Trump, was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after his medical exam earlier this year. The report stated the bruising on his hands was “minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking” and a “common and benign effect of aspirin therapy”. Trump was also reported to have strong cardiac, pulmonary, and neurological health.
Barbabella wrote: “His demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements, and regular physical activity, continues to support his overall well-being.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
