Cara Castronuova, a conservative reporter with MyPillow CEO and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell's Lindell TV network, was widely mocked after she asked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt an eyeroll-worthy question about President Donald Trump's health.
Castronuova's question came after Trump’s announcement last week that he’d undergo his annual physical on Friday at Walter Reed drew attention, largely because he pledged to release his medical records during the 2024 election—and never followed through.
She asked:
“Will you guys also consider releasing the president’s fitness plan? He actually looks healthier than ever before — healthier than he did eight years ago, and I’m sure everybody in this room could agree. Is he working out with Bobby Kennedy and eating less McDonald’s?”
To that, Leavitt responded:
“I can confirm the president is in very good shape, as you see on a near daily basis here."
You can watch what happened in the video below.
It was an odd question considering Trump is known for his fondness for fast food and his aversion to exercise. In a New York Times Magazine profile in 2015, Trump expressed skepticism about the benefits of exercise, stating that people who work out regularly are often at risk of injuries and health issues.
At the time, he said:
“All my friends who work out all the time, they’re going for knee replacements, hip replacements—they’re a disaster."
Trump's personal habits suggest that, regardless of his environment, engaging in physical exercise is unlikely to become part of his routine.
Trump has in the past referred to himself as a "perfect physical specimen," offering yet another example of his unfounded braggadocio when it comes to his health and physical prowess.
He once declared during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson "loved looking at my body." He claimed Jackson told him he was "the healthiest President that ever lived" and Jackson noted his body was "so strong and powerful."
Jackson has been a largely controversial figure since his days as the White House doctor. During a January 2018 press briefing, Jackson vouched for Trump's health, saying his neurological functions are excellent and assuring the press corps he would be able to serve his entire term.
Jackson was widely mocked after adding Trump likely had "incredible genes" that allowed him to remain healthy despite a lack of exercise and a taste for fast food.
Castronuova's question was absurd—and many mocked her for it.
Amid all the talk about Trump's physical health, it's not likely the White House will be truthful about Trump's cognitive abilities either.
Trump has previously been criticized for bragging about acing an "intelligence test" that was actually the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a widely used screening assessment for detecting cognitive impairment.
MoCA was designed to assess different cognitive domains, including attention and concentration, executive functions, memory, language, visuoconstructional skills, conceptual thinking, calculations, and orientation.
The assessment's questions are simple and ask test subjects to demonstrate if they can remember five words. Cohen stressed that it is unimpressive that Trump can remember five words—namely “person, woman, man, camera, TV”—as Trump demonstrated at one point on live television.
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