A prominent physician has suggested President Donald Trump may have inadvertently disclosed he suffered a stroke based on details from his recent Wall Street Journal health interview. Dr. Bruce Davidson, a professor at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, told the Daily Beast Podcast that Trump’s revelation about taking 325mg of aspirin daily is significant evidence.
“I read the report that he was taking 325mg of aspirin, and that is only recommended for people who’ve had a stroke to prevent a second stroke from a partially blocked artery,” Davidson stated. “When I read that, I said, well, he’s had a stroke, and he’s taking the right medication.” Trump disclosed his aspirin regimen while explaining persistent bruising on his hands, telling the Journal: “They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
Davidson noted that standard “low-dose” aspirin for heart attack and stroke prevention typically ranges from 75-100mg, with the Mayo Clinic recommending 81mg. According to Davidson, 325mg is specifically recommended only for stroke recurrence prevention. “The American Heart Association’s 2021 stroke guidelines recommend a full 325 mg aspirin pill to prevent recurrent stroke, after a stroke,” Davidson wrote for The Daily Beast. “It is not recommended for primary stroke prevention, heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, venous insufficiency, or other venous disease.”
The physician cited additional observations supporting his theory, including Trump’s shuffling gait, cradling his right hand in his left, garbled speech patterns, and using his left hand on banisters despite being right-handed. “That implies he broke his speech area, which is in the frontal left portion of the brain,” Davidson explained regarding the speech issues.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly rejected Davidson’s assessment, stating: “Any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath they’ve sworn to. These are false and slanderous allegations from a left-wing nut job. This fake news story should be retracted immediately.” Davidson emphasized that while he believes Trump had a stroke, it shouldn’t necessarily disqualify him from office, but proper medical care is essential.