What US Presidents Do and Don’t Say About Their Health

Americans are naturally curious about the health of their president, and any sign of illness or frailty gets subjected to intense public scrutiny. That was not always the case. The US presidency has a checkered history with truth and disclosure when it comes to infirmity and maladies. Yet President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance on June 27 with former President Donald Trump — which has unleashed concerns among Democrats about his ability to win reelection, let alone serve another term — has renewed interest in just how much Americans are entitled to know about their leader’s health.

There are no legal requirements imposed on the president to inform the public about his or her health. Modern-day presidents have traditionally been quite open, however. George W. Bush shared detailed medical reports. Barack Obama released full details of his health checks, including one in March 2016, shortly before he was due to leave office. Trump was not very forthcoming with details about his health when he was in office. Biden has released the results of his annual physical throughout his presidency, most recently on Feb. 28, 2024.