President Donald Trump’s recent trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was billed by the White House as just another routine physical. But conservative attorney and longtime Trump critic George Conway isn’t buying that narrative—and he’s pointing to two telling words buried in the doctor’s statement that suggest there’s more to the story.
In a health summary released by White House physician Capt. Sean Barbabella, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins highlighted that Trump received both a flu shot and a COVID-19 booster during his visit. That detail alone sparked reactions, especially from observers like George Basile, a retired policy and communications professional, who tweeted, “would you look at that,” in light of Trump’s endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—a well-known vaccine skeptic—as his Health and Human Services pick.
But Conway wasn’t focused on the vaccine line. He zeroed in on something else entirely.
“’Advanced imaging’ are the important words here,” Conway wrote in response to Collins’ post.
That phrase appears in the very first paragraph of Barbabella’s write-up: “The visit was part of his ongoing health maintenance plan and included advanced imaging, laboratory testing and preventive health assessments conducted by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. These evaluations were performed in coordination with leading academic and mental consultants to ensure optimal cardiovascular health and continued wellness.”
“Advanced imaging” isn’t the kind of thing you’d typically associate with a standard check-up. It refers to high-level diagnostic tools—like CT scans and MRIs—used to detect serious medical conditions, monitor internal organs, or assess existing issues. For a man in his late 70s with a known history of health complications, including chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow.
CVI impairs the circulation of blood from the legs back to the heart. It’s not uncommon for symptoms like swelling and discomfort in the legs to occur, and in Trump’s case, these have already been spotted. Swollen ankles were plainly visible when he recently met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House.
Then there’s the large, frequently photographed bruise on the back of Trump’s hand—a mark that’s been caught by cameras multiple times and appears to be sometimes covered with makeup. The White House has dismissed it, blaming frequent handshaking and his use of aspirin.
But if it really is routine wear-and-tear, why the need for advanced imaging and a “multidisciplinary team of specialists”? Why mental consultants? Why now, when Trump just had a similar “annual” physical a few months ago?
Conway’s eye for detail has landed here before. He’s long called attention to discrepancies between the official White House version of events and what appears to be happening behind the scenes. In this case, those two words—”advanced imaging”—may point to something more serious, or at the very least, something the public isn’t being fully let in on.
The White House continues to maintain that everything is fine. But the timeline, the phrasing, and Conway’s instincts suggest otherwise.
Whatever Trump’s team is trying to keep under wraps, it’s clear that not everyone is willing to take their word for it.
