Donald Trump on Monday publicly revealed details about a Republican congressman’s “terminal” diagnosis that could have left him “dead by June”, prompting Mike Johnson, speaker of the House, to say: “That wasn’t public.”
Trump touched on Neal Dunn’s health during a meandering press conference at the White House held alongside leaders of the Kennedy Center and other top Republicans, in which he also discussed topics including the performing arts venue’s upcoming renovation, the breast cancer diagnosis of Susan Wiles, his chief of staff, and the war with Iran.
His comments about the 73-year-old Florida representative came as Republicans struggle to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives, which they control with just one seat, with three seats vacant.
The historically small majority has made health scares and any other event that can force a lawmaker to resign or retire a pressing concern for Republican leaders, ahead of the November midterms in which Democrats are vying to take back the chamber.
“We had one man who was very ill. It looked like he wasn’t going to make it,” Trump said as he sat beside Johnson.
With Trump’s urging, Johnson then began talking about Dunn’s health and how the congressman decided to remain in the House despite being given a “grim” outlook.
“If others got this diagnosis, they would be apt to go home and retire,” Johnson said.
“What was the diagnosis?” Trump asked.
“I think it was a terminal diagnosis,” Johnson replied.
“He would be dead by June,” Trump interjected, prompting the speaker to say: “OK, that wasn’t public, but yeah, OK. It was grim, that’s what I was going to say.”
The president then said Dunn was afflicted by “a heart problem”, and after finding out about it, connected the congressman with White House doctors for “a long operation” where they “gave him more stents”.
Johnson said that after the surgery, the congressman “has a new lease on life” and “more energy than a man half his age”.
Dunn, who had represented a district in the Florida panhandle since 2017, announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election.
“The time has come to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren,” he wrote in his retirement statement.
A spokesperson for Dunn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
