«Seditious» and «treasonous»: Trump Rips Media Over Health Stories

«I actually believe it’s seditious, perhaps even treasonous, for The New York Times, and others, to consistently do FAKE reports in order to libel and demean “THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”» 

In a fast news cycle that often drops big stories almost as quickly as they surface, Donald Trump’s remarks attacking media coverage of his health have re-entered the spotlight, after he described outlets that questioned his condition as «seditious» and «treasonous». The comments are resurfacing as the president’s age becomes harder to separate from the public image he tries to project, with recent appearances and moments on the campaign trail renewing questions about his stamina and fitness. The episode has unfolded as another flashpoint in Trump’s long-running fight with the press, one that turns routine scrutiny into a new round of confrontation, amplified again as the clip and wording circulate across social media and television segments.

Donald Trump returned to his familiar fight with the press after a recent New York Times piece questioned his health and stamina, using a long Truth Social post to answer the reporting with a list of achievements and a personal defense of his work pace. He opened with a sweeping claim about his schedule and performance, writing: «There has never been a President that has worked as hard as me! My hours are the longest, and my results are among the best.» He then ran through a string of accomplishments, including: «I’ve stopped Eight Wars», «created the Greatest Economy in the History of our Country», «rebuilt our Military», and «closed our open and very dangerous Southern Border». The post kept moving in the same rhythm, stacking one claim after another as he pushed back against the idea that he is, as he put it, «slowing up».

Trump then shifted to his health and testing, placing medical exams at Walter Reed at the center of his rebuttal and describing them as extensive and closely supervised, while insisting he received «PERFECT Marks». He added that he has taken a cognitive examination «on three separate occasions», writing: «I ACED all three of them», before turning his attack outward toward The New York Times and other outlets. He escalated further by writing: «I actually believe it’s seditious, perhaps even treasonous, for The New York Times, and others, to consistently do FAKE reports in order to libel and demean “THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”» He continued: «They are true Enemies of the People, and we should do something about it», and concluded by saying the country would be better off if the Times «would cease publication».

Recent appearances by Donald Trump have added fresh fuel to questions about his health, after a series of moments that quickly circulated across news outlets and social media. During public events and court appearances, cameras captured instances where Trump appeared to doze off, while close-up images showed visible bruising on his hands that aides said were covered with makeup. At other times, bandages were seen on his hands and ankles, with swelling around his lower legs drawing further attention. The scrutiny intensified after the White House acknowledged that Trump had undergone medical examinations, including an MRI, with explanations from presidential doctors remaining limited and carefully worded. Together, the images, brief medical disclosures, and unanswered details have formed a steady stream of small but persistent signals, keeping Trump’s physical condition in the headlines despite his efforts to dismiss the coverage.

The renewed attention on Donald Trump’s health has also revived comparisons with the sustained media focus on Joe Biden’s physical and cognitive condition during his presidency, when questions about age and fitness became a near-constant feature of political coverage. Throughout Biden’s term, verbal slips, falls, medical checkups, and doctor statements were closely tracked, often dominating news cycles and campaign narratives for days at a time. By contrast, scrutiny of Trump’s health has tended to surface in shorter bursts, flaring after specific reports or visible moments before receding again, despite both men being of similar age. The contrast has become part of the political backdrop itself, with supporters and critics on both sides pointing to what they see as an imbalance in tone, intensity, and persistence, as media outlets recalibrate their focus while the 2024 race brings age and stamina back to the center of the national conversation.