WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he has for years taken a daily dose of aspirin higher than medically recommended, citing habit and superstition, German Press Agency (dpa) reported, quoting an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Trump said the practice has made him more prone to bruising, injuries he has at times tried to conceal cosmetically and which have prompted questions about his health.
“I’m a little superstitious,” the 79-year-old said.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump told the newspaper. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
In the interview, Trump also disclosed new details about medical imaging he underwent last October, saying he had a computed tomography (CT) scan rather than a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, as he had previously stated.
According to the report, one of Trump’s doctors ordered the CT scan as a precaution to rule out potential cardiovascular problems. The examination showed no abnormalities, Trump said. The White House echoed that assessment following publication of the report.
Trump, who said he is in “perfect” health, also dismissed accusations that he had fallen asleep during recent White House meetings. Videos appeared to show him struggling to stay alert.
“Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink,” Trump said.
The White House said after the interview that the president is fully fit to carry out his duties.
— BERNAMA-dpa
