In a show of solidarity for transparency, over 230 doctors and health care professionals are pushing forth a collective appeal towards former President Donald Trump, to make his medical records public. Constituting one of the strongest appeals of its kind, these medical elites aim to emphasize on an essential civic duty of a public servant: absolute transparency.
The group of healthcare professionals, who have taken upon themselves to demand the release of former President Trump’s health information, represents an eclectic mix of professions from across the medical spectrum. This group incorporates a broad range of specialization, from cardiac surgeons to psychiatrists, radiologists to gynecologists. This diverse group seeks to underline the imperative need of uncovering the state of health of the former President, not as a matter of curiosity or partisan politics, but as a matter of public record, considering the public significance of his role.
According to these physicians, the health of a President or prospective President, is not just a private matter. By deciding to take on the mantle of leadership, an individual instigates an implicit agreement to disclose elements of personal health that could potentially impact his or her decision-making ability. In the words of one of the signatories to the appeal, We believe the public has a right to know the health status of their President. Not doing so potentially puts national security at risk.
In their pursuit of transparency, the signatories are keen on comprehensive medical reports rather than mere summaries or selective releases. They posit that selective release of health information can give rise to misconceptions and potentially ill-informed decisions. Moreover, this move is viewed as an effort to extinguish the fires of speculation that swirl around episodes of unexplained absences or showing signs of frailty.
The appeal for transparency also has a historical precedence. Since Franklin D. Roosevelt, who minimized his paralysis, and John F. Kennedy, who concealed his Addison’s disease, Presidential disclosure issues have raised considerable debate. In the interest of averting such controversies, President Ronald Reagan had set a new standard of transparency by releasing more comprehensive health records.
Also, among the reasons driving the collective appeal is the inconsistent information provided by Trump during his tenure about his health. Questions have been raised over the transparency and truthfulness of these reports, fueling calls for more comprehensive disclosure.
Dr. Harry L. Greenberg, one of the signatories of the appeal, elaborating on the need for wider disclosure states, Presidential health affects not just the individual but the nation and potentially the world. Knowing your president is cognitively capable of leading the nation is crucially important.”
In totality, the appeal from these doctors and health care professionals for former President Trump to release his medical records is a call for transparency, accountability, and better leadership. This demand is, in essence, not about criticizing or undermining President Trump personally. Instead, it is about securing trust and confidence in the fitness of the individual who holds or held one of the most powerful positions in the world.