President Donald Trump launched into a fierce confrontation with reporters aboard Air Force One Sunday night when questioned about his recent MRI scan, delivering a pointed insult to one journalist who pressed him for details.
The exchange occurred as Trump and first lady Melania returned to the White House following Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN) public demand for the release of the president’s MRI results.
Trump addressed the medical procedure during an impromptu press briefing with traveling journalists.
When asked about Walz’s calls for transparency regarding the scan, Trump drew a comparison to his first impeachment proceedings.
“They were perfect like my phone call where I got impeached. Absolutely perfect. If you want to have it released, I’ll release it,” Trump stated.
The president was referencing his 2019 phone conversation with Ukraine President Zelensky that triggered his initial impeachment attempt.
The medical test has become a point of political contention following Trump’s social media comments about Walz last week.
CBS News correspondent Weija Jiang then questioned which part of Trump’s body the MRI examined.
The president’s response turned sharply personal as he targeted the reporter directly.
“I have no idea. It was just an MRI. It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and aced it. I got a perfect mark which you would be incapable of doing,” Trump said, pointing directly at Jiang.
He then concluded the media session by saying “goodbye everybody” before gesturing at another female reporter and adding “you too.”
Melania then gently led him away hand-in-hand, according to the Daily Mail.
The controversy surrounding Trump’s MRI began after the president called Walz “seriously retarded.”
The Minnesota governor responded by questioning Trump’s health and demanding transparency about the medical imaging.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt had previously stated in late October that Trump received advanced imaging at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as part of his routine physical examination.
According to Leavitt, the results demonstrated Trump remains in exceptional physical health, though she did not specify which area of the president’s body was examined.
Leavitt initially pledged to provide additional information about the MRI once available.
When questioned again in mid-November, she acknowledged the inquiry but declined to provide further details, according to the Daily Mail.
During the Sunday night briefing, reporters also asked Trump whether he stood by his recent social media comments about Walz.
One journalist noted that many Americans find the language he used offensive.
“Absolutely. You have a problem with it? You know what? I think there’s something wrong with him,” Trump responded, referring to the Minnesota governor.
The president continued his criticism of Walz, focusing on immigration policies in Minnesota.
“Anybody that would do what he did, anybody that would allow those people into a state and pay billions out to Somalia… there’s something wrong with Walz,” Trump declared.
His initial comments had come during a broader critique of Democratic officials in Minnesota.
Walz had responded to Trump’s attacks by questioning the president’s physical condition. During an appearance on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, Walz suggested Trump is declining physically and questioned whether anyone in history had undergone an MRI without knowing its purpose.
