Is Donald Trump actually ‘morbidly obese’?

House speaker Nancy Pelosi makes scathing assessment of president’s weight

Nancy Pelosi branded Donald Trump “morbidly obese” in a scathing interview on Tuesday and the House speaker’s comments have left many people asking, is he?

Ms Pelosi made the original remarks on Mr Trump’s weight and age during an interview with CNN host Anderson Cooper discussing the president’s controversial decision to take hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus.

“He’s our president, and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists,” Ms Pelosi said.

She continued: “Especially in his age group and in his, shall we say, weight group... morbidly obese, they say.”

The clip quickly went viral with #PresidentPlump and #TrumpMorbidlyObese trending on twitter CNN reported, leaving many people wondering if her comment’s ring true.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), defines people with “severe” obesity as those with a Body Mass Index above 40. Those considered to be obese have a BMI above 30.

So where does the president fall between these measurements?

Mr Trump’s BMI was measured as 30.4 during his last health checkup in February 2019, and with a weight of 243lb (110kg) and a height of 6ft 3ins, he is officially classed within the obese category.

Therefore under these terms, he does not classify as morbidly obese.

Ms Pelosi later doubled down on the comments comparing Mr Trump and his top aides to children with “doggy doo” on their shoes on Wednesday.

"It's almost like a child who comes in with mud on their pants or something. ... He comes in with doggy doo on his shoes, and everybody who works with him has [it] on their shoes, too, for a very long time to come," she said.

Although Mr Trump does not fall under the category of "morbidly obese" as Ms Pelosi implied, his health has long been a subject of debate and controversy.

In November 2019 the president’s health drew attention when he spent an unscheduled two hours in hospital for what the White House said were tests that form part of his annual physical check-up.

Officials assured that the 73-year-old remained in good health, but political speculators commented that the circumstances seemed a “little bit strange”.

Press secretary Stephanie Grisham condemned speculation about the hospital visit as “irresponsible and dangerous for the country”.

This incident was not the first time the president’s health had drawn speculation. In 2018, A doctor who wrote a letter commending Mr Trump’s health claimed the president actually dictated the entire document.

The medical letter gained significant attention after claiming that Mr Trump was the “healthiest individual” to ever hold the presidency,

Dr Harold Bornstein, who was Mr Trump’s personal physician for 35 years, later claimed that he did not write the document. At the time The White House did not comment on the claims that Mr Trump had dictated the note.

Mr Trump is also reported as having a very strange theory surrounding the exercise, reflecting the belief that people are born with a finite amount of energy.

The president’s viewpoint was highlighted in a feature by The New Yorker, suggesting that he believes moderate over rigorous exercise will make an individual live a longer, healthier life.

He has also previously professed a fondness for according to The New Yorker, but on the other hand, he does not drink alcohol or smoke.

Officials have continually insisted that the president remains in good health, without complaint and full of energy.

“I am happy to announce the president of the United States is in very good health and I anticipate he will remain so for the duration of his presidency, and beyond,“ Mr Trump’s personal doctor, Sean Conley, previously said in light of his last health checkup.