In an interview with USA Today, Vance described Trump as a tireless leader who “works late at night and early in the morning.” He added, “I feel very confident the President of the United States is in incredible shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people.”
When asked about his readiness to step into the presidency if necessary, Vance said his time in office had prepared him for such responsibility. “I've gotten a lot of good on-the-job training over the last 200 days. And 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,” he noted.
Trump, at 79, is the oldest US President to take office, while his 41-year-old deputy Vance ranks as the third youngest Vice President in the country’s history.
The discussion around Trump’s health has been fueled by visible bruises on his right hand. The bruising was noticed during his recent Oval Office meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and had also appeared earlier in February during a White House meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. By July, the bruised hand appeared concealed with makeup during talks in Scotland with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The White House later released a memo from Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella, diagnosing him with chronic venous insufficiency (CIV), a “benign and common” condition. The bruising, the report explained, was caused by “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshakes.”
