Donald Trump denies he suffered series of mini-strokes in November 2019

A New York Times reporter claims Vice-President Mike Pence was put on standby to assume the leader’s duties.

US President Donald Trump has rejected claims he suffered mini-strokes late in 2019. Picture: AFP

President Trump has denied that he suffered a series of mini-strokes after a reporter claimed that Mike Pence was put on standby to assume the leader’s duties temporarily.

Michael Schmidt, a New York Times journalist, claims in a new book that the Vice-President was prepared to take on Mr Trump’s duties when he made a sudden hospital visit last November.

At the time of the President’s unannounced visit to Walter Reed military hospital in Maryland, the White House said that the president had a “quick exam” as part of an annual check-up.

Speculation was fuelled because the visit on a Saturday was not on his schedule.

Schmidt writes in Donald Trump v. The United States, his book about the President’s clashes with officials: “In the hours leading up to Trump’s trip to the hospital, word went out in the West Wing for the Vice-President to be on standby to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anaesthetised.”

Mr Trump dismissed the book on Tuesday, tweeting: “Now they are trying to say that your favourite President, me ... suffered a series of mini-strokes. Never happened. FAKE NEWS.”

It never ends! Now they are trying to say that your favorite President, me, went to Walter Reed Medical Center, having suffered a series of mini-strokes. Never happened to THIS candidate - FAKE NEWS. Perhaps they are referring to another candidate from another Party!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2020

Drudge didn’t support me in 2016, and I hear he doesn’t support me now. Maybe that’s why he is doing poorly. His Fake News report on Mini-Strokes is incorrect. Possibly thinking about himself, or the other party’s “candidate”. https://t.co/9FraoFqOKq

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2020

Not even a “minor” one. Thank you! https://t.co/PEgbb9XyhU

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2020

His personal physician also issued a statement denying that the President had suffered a stroke.

The book, however, does not claim that the reason for the visit was mini-strokes.

The 25th amendment to the Constitution provides for the President to voluntarily transfer their powers to the Vice-President.

It has been invoked once by Ronald Reagan and twice by George W Bush; in each case the President had a minor medical procedure.

The Times