Kayleigh McEnany shares mastectomy story during RNC


During her Republican National Convention speech on Wednesday night, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany shared that when she was 21, her doctor let her know that she had tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation, giving her a much higher risk of developing breast cancer.
McEnany said her mother also tested positive for the mutation, and chose to have a preventative double mastectomy. In 2018, McEnany decided to do the same, and said this almost completely eliminated her chance of breast cancer. Shortly after her surgery, at what she described as being one of her "most difficult times," one of the first calls she received was from Ivanka Trump. Soon after, President Trump was on the line.
"I was blown away," McEnany said. "Here was the leader of the free world caring about my circumstance. At the time, I had only met President Trump on a few occasions, but now I know him well and I can tell you that this president stands by Americans with pre-existing conditions."
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.
The Trump administration is now suing to overturn the Affordable Care Act, which makes it so health insurance companies cannot refuse to cover a person because of pre-existing conditions. He has not shared any plan to replace it.
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.
-
Democrats: The 2028 race has begun
Feature Democratic primaries have already kicked off in South Carolina
-
The Pentagon's missing missiles
Feature The U.S. military is low on weapons. Can it restock before a major conflict breaks out?
-
Rescissions: Trump's push to control federal spending
Feature The GOP passed a bill to reduce funding for PBS, NPR and other public media stations
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein