Link: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/21/trump-health-privacy

When Donald Trump revealed that Republican congressman Neal Dunn would have been “dead by June” if not for White House doctors who treated the representative’s reportedly terminal condition, many were shocked by his disclosure.

The president’s comments last week, which unfolded during a meandering presser with Republican House speaker Mike Johnson and Kennedy Center leaders, came after Trump prodded the top politician for details on Dunn’s health.

The response from Johnson, who weeks ago reportedly told donors that Dunn might have a fatal health condition, suggested that he was taken aback by Trump’s comment. He responded: “OK, that wasn’t public, but yeah, OK. It was grim, that’s what I was going to say.”

Trump’s statement prompted criticism and even surprised some observers who have grown used to his shock-jock-like antics when it comes to other political figures. But Trump for years has bragged about his physical and mental vitality – and made fun of others’ physical conditions – despite what some have described as intense caginess about his own health, including a recent neck rash.

His statement about White House doctors also coincides with fallout from the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies, resulting in surging healthcare costs for millions of Americans who could only dream of world-class care under the best of circumstances. And then there’s the matter of US political culture: what is America to make of a gossipy head of state with no filters?

I have some words, but they're not particularly pleasant.

Journalists are cowards. The moment to press him on his health is right after he shit-talks someone else’s.

If he ignores that reporter then the next one repeats the question.

Sounds like you can really show the rest of us how it's done. Go get your White House press pass and let us know how it goes.

I’m not a right winger so press passes won’t be granted.

I like how you made excuses for press being cowards. It was very nice.

That was exactly my point. Anyone who actually commits journalism is kicked out of the press pool. Trump is an insecure toddler who can't handle being questioned. You're the one saying the journalists are failing, when the reality is, you ask tough questions, you get called "piggy" and shown the door.

Yeah, corporate media is fucked, but it ain't the reporters causing that. If you're going to spout off in broad generalizations about an entire industry, in the future, a tip: at least know something about what you're railing against.

The fact that there are reporters that haven't been kicked out of the white house press pool is a shame.