In new book, Trump's ex-press secretary hints at why he made secret hospital visit


Stephanie Grisham is shedding some light on former President Donald Trump's unscheduled November 2019 visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Grisham, a former White House press secretary, writes about the event in her new book I'll Take Your Questions Now, CNN reports. At the time, the White House explained that Trump made an unannounced visit to Walter Reed so he could undergo "portions of his routine annual physical exam," as he would be "very busy" in 2020. This caused a stir, as staffers were not told he was coming ahead of time and presidents don't typically spread out their physical exams over several months.
In I'll Take Your Questions Now, Grisham heavily implies that Trump was at the hospital for a colonoscopy. She never uses the term, but describes it as "a very common procedure" during which a "patient is put under," CNN reports. She also says former President George W. Bush, who had multiple colonoscopies during his two terms, went through a similar procedure while in office. Grisham writes that Trump attempted to keep his visit under the radar because he didn't want former Vice President Mike Pence to be in charge while he was under and "did not want to be the butt of a joke" on late night talk shows.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump told CNN in a statement that it is "too bad that sleaze bag publishers continue to report this very boring garbage. We and the MAGA movement are totally used to it. And someday in the not too distant future we will have our voice back and be treated fairly by the press."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Scientists are the latest 'refugees'
In the spotlight Brain drain to brain gain
-
5 dreamy books to dive into this July
The Week Recommends A 'politically charged' collection of essays, historical fiction goes sci-fi and more
-
6 sleek homes for modernists
Feature Featuring a concrete-and-steel home in South Carolina and a renovated 19th-century former carriage house in Pennsylvania
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
How would the Trump administration denaturalize immigrant citizens?
Today's Big Question Using civil courts lowers the burden of proof
-
'Trucking is a dangerous business'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration