JD Vance Hails Trump's Health While Stressing His Own Readiness to Lead: 'I've Gotten a Lot of Good On-The-Job Training'

Vice President JD Vance said he is prepared to assume the responsibilities of the presidency if necessary but emphasized that President Donald Trump remains healthy and energetic despite renewed concerns about his age and his medical and mental condition.

In a wide-ranging interview with USA Today, Vance said he remains confident in Trump's ability to serve his term as he "is in incredibly good health" and "he's got incredible energy." Nevertheless, he added that "if, God forbid, there's a terrible tragedy, I can't think of better on-the-job training than what I've gotten over the last 200 days."

Trump, who was 78 when sworn in for his second term, was diagnosed in July with chronic venous insufficiency after images showed swelling in his lower legs. White House physician Sean Barbabella described the condition as "benign and common," and Vance stressed that Trump works longer hours than most of the staff. "He's the last person making phone calls at night, and he's the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning," he said.

Outside observers, however, have raised concerns about Trump's overall fitness, especially when it comes to mental acumen. A recent in-depth investigation by The Guardian collected interviews with critics who point to recent verbal slips, moments of confusion, and increasingly erratic communication styles as signs that age may be catching up to the president.

The report highlighted how these moments are fueling questions not just about his physical health but about his cognitive sharpness — a key factor as he confronts mounting legal challenges and prepares for the demanding months ahead. According to The Guardian, this tension underscores a growing divide: while allies like Vance present Trump as tireless and focused, opponents frame him as showing visible strain under the pressures of the presidency.

In another passage of the USA Today interview, the vice president defended Trump's attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, who has refused to resign after being accused of irregularities in mortgage filings.

Vance argued that Trump has the legal authority to act. "Isn't it a little preposterous to say that the president of the United States... doesn't have the ability to make these determinations?" Vance said. "I don't think that we allow bureaucrats to sit from on high and make decisions about monetary policy and interest rates without any input from the people that were elected to serve the American people."