Is it ever in the news that the President of the United States has a cold, or sore throat, or stomach flu, or one of the myriad things that everyone is subject to now and then? I remember Trump had a COVID scare a few years ago.
Not sure if this qualifies as what you’re thinking of as “illness,” but in 1985, Reagan spent a week in the hospital after having cancer surgery – surgeons removed a cancerous polyp, and two feet of his large intestine, in the procedure. Needless to say, it was rather well-covered in the news at that time.
I’m thinking of something a little less consequential. My original title was going to be “minor” illnesses, actually. Does it ever get reported that POTUS has the flu, or a cold, or a tooth extraction, or even so much as a doctor’s appointment?
How about Bush vomiting into the Prime Minister’s lap?
When W Bush had a colonoscopy, he temporarily transferred power to his VP, Dick Cheney.
When his dad puked on the Japanese prime minister, it was explained as a bout of the flu (and totally not too much Saki).
When a president has a doctor’s appointment- they get an annual physical- there’s usually a press conference.
ETA: Ninja’d on the Japan part. I should have seen that coming.
Others have covered the big stuff common in older folks. IIRC, routine minor ailments don’t make the news. If POTUS has a cold, we don’t hear about it.
The only exception I can think of would be if some big event like a summit was rescheduled as a result. Then it’s the event change that’s newsworthy and the reason is an oh-by-the-way.
I can’t quite place it, but I seem to remember some significant trip postponed by either Biden or Obama, or whoever was coming to the US to meet them due to illness of one of the principals. But that’s a vague memory. It wasn’t COVID, whatever it was, and may well have pre-dated COVID.
Back in 1962, the young, vigorous John F. Kennedy canceled a campaign stop in Chicago because of “a cold.” Turns out he was knee-deep in the Cuban Missile Crisis. That may be one reason why they don’t let on about POTUS minor ills (fear of starting a rumor) unless it interrupts something public.
Trump had COVID, not a scare.
I had COVID (and a relapse) on the exact same days Biden did last summer.
He looked pretty scared to me! </The Penguin>
I recall back in the day Nixon’s phlebitis was covered quite extensively.
I bet COVID was scared.
“What have I gotten myself into?!”
Back to the main subject, I don’t know what the advantage of announcing the POTUS having the sniffles or constipation might be. And I also wonder if medical privacy laws apply too.
LBJ had medical issues covered by the press. JFK was known to have existing medical issues when he was elected but his back problems were used to highlight the PT109 story and I don’t know what else was made public. In my lifetime also but when I was to young to actually hear of it at the time Ike had a serious problem, possibly a heart attack. I don’t know what the press knew it reported. Going back further Garfield (not the cat) lived for two months after being shot by an assassin and the press covered the unsuccessful attempts to treat his wounds.
Teddy Roosevelt was also shot but the bullet passed through a book and a steel object before penetrating his chest muscles but stopping short of any vital organs. It was done in public and certainly covered in the press.
I think many minor illnesses were never exposed by the press and reports of some would have been misleading. FDR really never could walk more than a few steps a a result of polio but this was remarkably well covered up in the press. His declining condition in his last years must have been observed by the press but I don’t know how much coverage it received.
LBJ bragged about his medical issues, like the time he pulled up his shirt to show off his recently-acquired gall bladder scar. Lord knows what he would have done if he’d had a vasectomy.
It was widely reported. In fact, it crashed the stock market.
https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/president-eisenhower-14-billion-heart-000000730.html
A few years later, when he was again struck by Illness, the economy again took worried notice.
I hear he didn’t need a vasectomy to show off that region of his body.