US donald trump New York Magazine

A White House medic claimed that the president is healthier at 79 than Barack Obama was at 55, and there’s not enough chinny reckon in the world – 17 resounding nopes

Oonagh Keating. Updated January 27th, 2026

A reporter from the New York Magazine has had a close encounter with the Trump cult right in the belly of the beast – the Oval Office.

Ben Terris carried out an interview with the president in December, in the presence of what Trump described as his doctors, but which turned out to be his lead doctor, Captain Sean Barbabella and physician’s assistant, Colonel James Jones.

In a thread containing snippets from the story, Mr Terris led with this ironic tale, which would be less problematic if its subject didn’t have the nuclear codes.

But it was Jones’s response to a question that really captured people’s attention.

“You worked for the Obamas, didn’t you?” Leavitt said to Jones.

“Yes, I did,” he said.

Jones had, in fact, worked from 2009 to 2018 as a senior medical leader in the White House. At the end of his presidency, Barack Obama, a fitness fanatic rumored to allow himself precisely seven almonds a night, was 55 years old.

“Who is healthier, Obama or President Trump?” I asked.

Trump stared across the desk, making eye contact with Jones. Jones didn’t hesitate.

“President Trump,” he said.

Trump nodded. There was no sign of a smile, as if there could not have been any other answer to that question.

Ben Terris has taken quite the risk in publishing his frank article, because Trump threatened to sue the magazine if he wrote anything negative about his health. We’re guessing the medical team operates under a similar threat – but takes it more seriously.

Readers weren’t convinced,

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