Harris accuses Trump of evading health

"What's he hiding?": Kamala Harris' campaign team has accusedé Saturday Donald Trump for lack of transparency about his health after the release of the vice president's medical report to highlight their nearly 20-year age difference ge.

A medical report, published in great detail Saturday by the White House, concludes that the Democratic candidate in the November 5 election has, at 59 years old, “the resistance physical and mental fitness necessary to fulfill the duties of the Presidency” of the United States and is “in excellent health.”

Kamala Harris hopes with this publication to fuel a debate on the faculties of her 78-year-old Republican rival.

Donald Trump's campaign team was quick to react by assuring in a press release that the former president's form had nothing to envy that of Kamala Harris, quite the contrary.

For Steven Cheung, communications director for Donald Trump's campaign, the Democrat has a “much lighter” schedule than the Republican, because he claims, she does not have “the stamina of President Trump”.

The spokesperson claims that the Republican candidate has already voluntarily published several reports from doctors which “all conclude that Donald Trump is in perfect and excellent health”.

– Refusal to debate –

Steven Cheung refers in particular to a letter from Donald Trump's personal physician in which physical exam results are mentioned within the norm and “exceptional” results in cognitive tests. But these exams date back to September 2023.

And the Harris camp has redoubled its attacks.

Donald Trump at a rally in Reno, Nevada (western United States), on October 11, 2024 © AFP – Alejandra Rubio

“On August 20, Donald Trump said he would 'gladly' release his medical records. He didn't,” Ian Sams, a spokesman for the Democrat's campaign, said on X.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

“What is he hiding?,” he asked, highlighting the former president's refusal to debate Kamala Harris again after their televised contest in September.

Questions about Joe Biden's age, robustness and mental acuity dominated his campaign, until the 81-year-old Democratic president threw the sponge in July after a calamitous debate against his Republican predecessor (2017-2021).

The issue has rarely been addressed in the media and has no significant influence on the polls, which are still very close, despite the large age difference between the two candidates and Donald Trump's increasingly pronounced tendency towards digressions and disjointed speeches.

The vice president would therefore like to bring the subject back into fashion, to her advantage.

– “Confused” speech –

Her campaign team has carefully read recent articles in the New York Times.

One emphasizes that the billionaire, already heavily criticized by his opponents for not having been transparent about his health when he was president, has not published a medical report recent.

The other article in the American daily analyzes his recent speeches, concluding that they are increasingly “long”, “confused”, “vulgar” and “obsessed with the past”.

Joe Biden and Donald Trump at a ceremony commemorating the September 11 attacks, in New York, September 11, 2024 © AFP – ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS

The former president, with an undeniable physical presence, nevertheless maintains a very sustained rhythm of travel and meetings, and does not show fatigue comparable to that which often marks the Joe Biden's gait, features and speech.

Donald Trump will be in Coachella, California, on Saturday night for a rally before another the next day in Arizona, a key Southwest state.

Kamala Harris will be on the other side of the country on Sunday for a rally in North Carolina, a key East Coast state that has not voted Democrat for president since Barack Obama in 2008.

According to polls, the age of candidates is not an important issue for a large portion of voters.

A Gallup opinion poll published on October 10 indicates that 41% of voters consider Donald Trump too old to be president, just 4 points more than in June, before Kamala Harris's entry into the race.

All reproduction and representation rights reserved. © (2024) Agence France-Presse