The White House released a report Saturday detailing Vice President Kamala Harris’ medical history, the first time she provided her health information while in office or running for president, and a move clearly intended to to pressure former President Donald Trump to release more information about his own health. .
“Vice President Harris remains in excellent health,” Dr. wrote. Joshua Simmons, Harris’ doctor, in a memo to one of Harris’ top aides, Kirsten Allen. “She has the physical and mental resilience necessary to successfully carry out the duties of the presidency.”
The memo noted that Harris has seasonal allergies and is nearsighted but wears corrective contact lenses. It said she “maintains a healthy, active lifestyle despite her busy schedule, including vigorous daily aerobic exercise and core strength training.”
Harris’ advisers see this as an opportunity to contrast her with Trump and push the former president to release more information about his health, especially after two assassination attempts and as Trump’s rally speeches become longer and meandering.
Neither Harris nor Trump had previously released medical records during this race. There is a roughly 20-year age difference between Harris, 59, and Trump, who at 78 would be the oldest person to ever assume the presidency.
Health was a major focus of the 2024 race. President Joe Biden’s first debate appearance put his mental acuity under scrutiny and ultimately led to his dropping out of the race.
It has been common for decades for presidential candidates to release medical reports that include their height, weight, daily medications and other relevant information. Trump has also been pressured to release the results of a comprehensive cognitive exam.
Last November, Trump released a letter purportedly from his doctor that wrote that Trump was in overall “excellent” health and performed “exceptional” on cognitive tests. The letter also suggested that Trump, who weighed 244 pounds in 2020, had lost weight.
Not much was known about Harris’ health other than that she contracted COVID-19 in April 2022. Harris had not previously released medical information as vice president or when she ran for president in 2020.
