I know cardiologist Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, for many years. I interviewed him several times on my show “Doctor Radio Reports” on SiriusXM, and also spent time with him and his family around the dinner table.
Many in the field of cardiac and cardiac surgery in New York have told me that he is one of the best cardiac surgeons in history. I have always found him to be very analytical and to have a good sense of humor.
Dr. Oz is spending a lot of time with President Donald Trump these days as they travel to and attend events together. He recently told me on my show that he was struck by how smart and funny the president is and that he’s actually not on a bad diet.
Here are five things I noticed about the president’s diet after our recent conversation.
On Diet Coke
Last week, the news media lambasted President Trump for allegedly saying that Diet Coke kills cancer cells. It’s no secret that the president drinks a lot of diet soda, but what he thinks about its properties is less known.
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This is what Dr. Oz said to me in an interview for my show, “Doctor Radio Reports,” on SiriusXM. “We travel together sometimes, and so I joked with his son about something that his son knows very well, which is that his father is very smart. He will deal with the fact that you chastise him or disagree with him in a humorous way. I gave him a little grief because he had been drinking diet soda, and he said, ‘What are you talking about? This stuff will kill grass. That’s why I think it probably kills cancer cells.’ It was a joke. Obviously, no one would argue that diet soda has that impact. It’s funny how people don’t have a sense of humor. Nothing about that comment is dangerous or harmful. I think most people took it in the right spirit.”
About Trump’s sense of humor
Clearly, not everyone took the president’s “kills grass” comment in the right spirit, and many in the news media used it as yet another platform to attack Trump. But Dr.’s comment Oz to me – that it’s humorous that people don’t have a sense of humor – is also notable, because humor is good for your health, even though diet soda isn’t (I don’t think it can kill grass, but it’s certainly not healthy).
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Humor, on the other hand, is very healthy because it reduces stress and stress hormones (epinephrine and noradrenaline), which strain the heart, and can improve mood. Humor also releases feel-good hormones, including oxytocin, which improves bonding and lowers blood pressure. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/healthy-aging/the-health-benefits-of-humor/
About Trump’s cognitive ability
Dr. Oz told me he is impressed by the president’s focus on his work and his drive to achieve things. Oz said, “The president is remarkably strong in his ability to get things done. He calls all day, he is focused on his work. The fact that he wants to do this job well keeps him so energetic.’
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., from left to right, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Oz’s wife Lisa Oz listen during a swearing-in ceremony for Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
In fact, highly skilled, cognitively demanding jobs with high decision-making power are associated with… lower risk of dementia. The president often comments on how well he performs on repeated cognitive tests, and he comes across as articulate and engaged, which doesn’t stop the media from excessive speculation.
About Trump’s diet and fast food
Dr. Oz made the point that President Trump’s diet is much better than people might think when he’s in the White House and Mar-a-Lago, but on the road – and of course he travels often – he has fewer options, so he turns to fast food because he knows it has to meet a certain standard and will be well prepared.
Dr. Oz said to me during the interview, “Sometimes he eats junk food. He says this to me, and others have heard this too: [that] when he’s on the road, his main goal is not to get sick from a meal that hasn’t been properly prepared. By going to the larger chain fast food outlets, he can buy food that is highly standardized and very safe, and he can continue at full speed. When he eats alone, at Mar-a-Lago or the White House, he eats a lot of healthy food that he has access to and generally consumes. I don’t think it’s fair to say he has a “bad diet.” But he’s on the road a lot, and sometimes when you’re on the road you can’t choose the meals you want; you have to eat what you can get.”
There is some truth in what Dr. Oz here says. Overall, foodborne illnesses are more common in restaurants than in fast food chains. And a study published in 2017 by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that chain restaurants average about six violations per inspection, compared to an average of nine for non-chain locations.
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Of course, this approach ignores the MAHA movement’s focus on ultra-processed foods as a likely cause of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
About Trump’s exercise and sleep
Dr. Oz didn’t directly address this during our interview on SiriusXM, but “calling at all hours” probably means the president isn’t getting enough sleep. There has been less than seven hours of sleep per night linked to poorer healthand it’s unlikely the president sleeps nearly that much. And while he is a great golfer, and golf is an excellent form of relaxation and exercise, he could probably get even more of his necessary exercise if he played without a golf cart.
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On the other hand, it has been repeatedly shown that President Trump’s blood pressure is normal, and his cholesterol is well controlled with medications.
According to his doctors, his physical condition is completely normal, which is especially impressive for a 79-year-old. While some may not wish the president the best of luck, Dr. Oz a reassuring image. But please, go easy on the aspirin, Mr. President.
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