President Trump says he gets more exercise than people would think, days after a White House physician told reporters the president needs to lose 10-15 pounds.
“I get exercise. I mean I walk, I this, I that,” Trump told Reuters during an Oval Office interview. “I run over to a building next door. I get more exercise than people think.”
White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson told reporters Tuesday the 71-year-old president was in excellent health overall but needed to lose weight, exercise more, and eat healthier.
Trump says he gets his exercise on the golf course, though he prefers to use a golf cart to get around because he doesn’t “want to spend the time” walking.
“A lot of people go to the gym and they’ll work out for two hours and all. I’ve seen people … then they get their new knees when they’re 55 years old and they get their new hips and they do all those things. I don’t have those problems,” Trump said.
The president said he surprised doctors during his physical exam last week by how long he was able to stay on the treadmill.
“I was on a treadmill for the first time actually in quite a while, and it was at a very steep angle, and I was there for a very long time,” Trump said. “They were surprised. And they said, ‘Well you can stop now, that’s amazing.’ And I said, ‘I can go much longer than this if you want me to.’”
As for how he will lose the 10-15 pounds recommended by Jackson, Trump appeared to like the idea of a diet more than changing his exercise habits. He suggested that White House chefs could make his portions smaller than what he’s currently eating.
“I’ve always been more of a believer in diet ’cause I‘m strong, you know? I hit the ball far. I mean, I‘m strong, physically,” said Trump, who is 6’3” and weighs 239 pounds.
“The people that do the food at the White House are extraordinary, but I think they can maybe make the portions a little bit smaller and maybe we’ll cut out some of the more fattening ingredients,” he said. “And I‘m OK with that.”
