Trump says he takes more aspirin than recommended by his doctors

Trump acknowledged that he takes a higher dose of aspirin than recommended by his doctors.

President Donald Trump pushed back on critics who have questioned the state of his health, telling The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Thursday that he denies falling asleep in meetings and takes a higher dose of aspirin than recommended by his doctors.

“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump told the Journal, attributing often-visible bruises on his hands — and the makeup he uses to try to cover them — to the medication. “I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.”

Trump’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, told the Journal in a statement that the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin a day for “cardiac prevention.”

Aspirin acts as an anticoagulant, meant to help prevent blood clots from forming. Blood clots that travel to the heart can lead to heart attacks. The medication can also increase a person’s risk of bleeding because it prevents clots from forming in wounds.

Makeup appears to cover a bruise on the back of President Donald Trump's hand at the White House on Feb. 24, 2025.Chip Somodevilla / Getty ImagesThe 79-year-old president, who in January 2025 became the oldest man ever sworn in to the nation’s top office, has spent more time than he would like in the last year defending his vigor and vitality. In addition to the bruising, he has appeared to fall asleep during meetings. The White House also revealed in October that he had undergone advanced imaging of his torso, setting off speculation about the reason for the diagnostic measures.