'The Superhuman President'

"And by the way, I don't know them, they're not my best friends. They're respected doctors that practice out of Walter Reed. And they happen to be taking care of me for anything - but I don't need any taking care of because I'm in perfect health. I do purposely every year or less a physical, because I think the American people should know that the president is healthy so you don't get a guy like the last one,"

"I hate to waste a lot of time on this, but if you're going to write a bad story about my health, I'm going to sue the ass off of New York Magazine. There will be a time when you can write that story, maybe in two years, three years, five years - five years, no one is going to care, I guess. Go ahead and sit down."

In the Oval Office the president met two Walter Reed doctors and asserted he was in perfect health, citing regular physicals and an anecdote about Gary Player. He emphasized annual or more frequent physicals to reassure the public about presidential fitness and contrasted his health with a prior president described as harmful to older people. The president threatened legal action against New York Magazine over negative health reporting, saying such coverage could wait years when no one would care. White House officials recognize the need to address health questions amid rampant public speculation and scrutiny. Social media has amplified concerns, noting images suggesting a leg bag and episodes of appearing to fall asleep during public events.

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