Trump still obese, but free of hydroxychloroquine side effects: White House

[WASHINGTON] President Donald Trump did not suffer side effects from his controversial taking of hydroxychloroquine and is in good health, despite remaining obese, the White House said on Wednesday, after he completed an annual medical check.

The "president remains healthy," his press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, told reporters.

A bare-bones bulletin from the official presidential physician, Sean Conley, said "there were no findings of significance or changes to report."

According to Dr Conley, Mr Trump weighs 110.67kg, marginally up from last year. For his height of 1.91m, that puts him under the definition of obese, as he was in last year's check-up.

Mr Trump, who has gone against the advice of many medical authorities in promoting the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a guard against catching Covid-19, has ended the "regimen safely and without side effects," Dr Conley wrote.

He also has continued to be negative for the coronavirus during regular tests.

Mr Trump has released a medical report each year of his first term. However, this year's was caught up in speculation after the president made a surprise trip to the government's Walter Reed hospital last November for what he said was a head-start on his tests.

His previous medical had taken place in February of 2019 and the White House said he wanted to get a jump on the 2020 examination - an unusual arrangement that prompted questions in the US media over whether Mr Trump was hiding any conditions.

The check-up to conduct the remainder of his 2020 test was never announced, but according to Conley's letter it took place in April.

Mr Trump was the oldest person to become president at 70. He turns 74 this month, while his Democratic challenger in the November election is 77.

AFP