Donald Trump Says 'I Don't Know' If High Daily Aspirin Dosage Works, 'But Psychologically, I Need It'

During a campaign rally in Vandalia, OH, President Donald Trump admitted that he takes a full-strength 325 mg aspirin daily — despite his doctors urging him to lower the dose to a standard 81 mg "baby aspirin.”

Calling the larger tablet a "monster" and mentioning his preference for Bayer aspirin, Trump dismissed his physicians' advice, stating, “I’ve been doing okay for 35 years. Leave me alone.”

Trump candidly stated, "I don't know if it works, but psychologically I need it," explaining that the routine gives him mental comfort.

He reiterated his long-standing belief that the high dose helps thin his blood and supports heart health, adding that he prefers what he describes as "nice, thin blood" flowing through his heart, even if it causes visible bruising.

His physician, Navy Captain Dr. Sean Barbabella, noted that Trump has followed this cardiac prevention routine for at least 25 years and remains reluctant to change it, though recent physical testing still shows him in excellent health.

While Trump favors the blood-thinning effect, medical experts and modern guidelines generally caution older adults against routine, high-dose aspirin use without a specific medical requirement.

Long-term use of 325 mg aspirin significantly increases the risk of severe gastrointestinal and internal bleeding, especially in adults over 70.

Medical experts have pointed out that Trump's chosen dose aligns with recent public scrutiny over visible bruising on his hands and swelling around his ankles, colloquially known as “cankles.”

For long-term cardiovascular prevention, modern guidelines favor a low 81 mg dose because it provides the necessary anti-clotting benefits while keeping the risk of bleeding complications much lower.

Trump’s latest comments about his daily aspirin use quickly sparked widespread mockery, health concerns and viral jokes across social media.

Many quipped about what else the president might psychologically need, with one viral comment stating, "Psychologically, he needs a lot of things."

Others mocked his rejection of professional medical advice, with Facebook users posting jokes like, "Marked 'SAFE' from Donald Trump's medical advice.”

Some joked about the economic impact of his personal endorsement, writing, "Aspirin sales just tripled," or joking that he was single-handedly boosting profits for "Big Pharma."

His admission that he uses makeup to cover up the resulting bruises on his hands sparked an influx of zoomed in photos and jokes about his daily cosmetics routine.

Opponents used the confession — alongside recent observations of him appearing to doze off or dealing with leg swelling — to question whether he is being transparent about the true state of his cardiovascular health.

Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a prominent cardiologist and former physician to Vice President Dick Cheney, questioned why Trump wouldn't listen to his own medical team, saying, "So if you’re bruising a lot and your doctor says you’re on too much aspirin, why wouldn’t you go down to the lower dose? It makes no sense to me.”