Harris in "excellent health," her physician says, as campaign looks to pressure Trump to release medical records
Vice President Kamala Harris is in "excellent health" and "possesses the physical and mental resiliency" required to serve as president, her doctor said in a letter released Saturday summarizing her medical history and status.
Dr. Joshua Simmons, a U.S. Army colonel and physician to the vice president, wrote that 59-year-old Harris maintains a healthy, active lifestyle and that her most recent physical last April was "unremarkable."
The Harris campaign views the release of her medical history and records as an opportunity to turn the conversation towards the physical health and mental acuity of former President Donald Trump, 78. Harris' advisers argue they can contrast her age and Trump's — daring him to disclose more recent information.
After Harris' release, the Trump campaign shared a statement saying that he is in "perfect and excellent health to be Commander in Chief," but did not give specifics about his health. The latest health files on the former president released were the public letters that Dr. Ronny Jackson issued after the assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Harris did not release her medical records during the 2020 campaign. In November 2023, Trump posted a letter from his doctor of osteopathic medicine, Bruce Aronwald, that said he had been examined in September 2023 and that his "overall health is excellent." No specifics on his vitals or medications were shared.
In an interview with CBS News in August, Trump said he would "gladly" release his medical records and that he recently had a medical exam and had a "perfect score."
If elected in November, Trump would be the oldest president in U.S. history by the end of his term.
Simmons, who said he has been Harris' primary care physician for the past three and a half years, said the vice president has a history of allergies and urticaria, also known as hives, for which she has been on allergen immunotherapy for the past three years.
Simmons said Harris' latest blood work and other test results were "unremarkable."
In the report, Simmons also says the vice president wears contact lenses for mild nearsightedness. He included her family history including maternal colon cancer and that she is up to date on preventive care recommendations, including having a colonoscopy and annual mammograms.
Read the full letter here:
The Harris campaign's attempt to highlight Trump's age mirrors the Republican campaign's approach to President Biden while he was the candidate. When Biden was still running, Trump's campaign would often post clips of him stumbling up the stairs of Air Force One, or of his verbal gaffes.
Biden left the 2024 race in July after Democratic infighting and skepticism he could serve a full second term, which was spurred by a June debate performance where he appeared to show signs of his age, 81, by speaking with a hoarse voice and stumbling through answers.
On social media, Harris' campaign has been leaning into references to Trump's age, pointing out moments where Trump slurs his words or meanders.
"Americans are tired of your lies and slur-filled delusions. It's getting…old," the Kamala HQ X account posted in August.