Trump calls media reports on his health 'seditious'

"There has never been a President that has worked as hard as me! My hours are the longest, and my results are among the best," Trump said in the nearly 500-word screed on his Truth Social network.

"I actually believe it’s seditious, perhaps even treasonous, for The New York Times, and others, to consistently do FAKE reports in order to libel and demean  'THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.'" 

The Republican added that he had been through "long, thorough, and very boring" medical examinations and had been able to "ace" cognitive tests that he claimed other presidents had not taken.

Trump added that the "best thing that could happen to this Country would be if The New York Times would cease publication because they are a horrible, biased, and untruthful 'source' of information."

The outburst comes despite the fact that Trump regularly accuses the media of having failed to cover the health of his predecessor Joe Biden, who dropped out of the 2024 election after a shambolic debate performance raised concerns about the Democrat's age.

He has also long contrasted his vigor with that of Biden -- whom he dubs "Sleepy Joe" and described at the rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday as a "sleepy son of a bitch."

- 'False and inflammatory' -

Trump and the White House were incensed by a New York Times article in November that reported he had sharply reduced public events, domestic travel and working hours compared to his first term.

The scrutiny on Trump's health intensified after he appeared to be fighting to stay awake at a series of events, along with the revelation that he had an MRI test during an extra medical check-up in October.

"Americans deserve in-depth reporting and regular updates about the health of the leaders they elect," New York Times spokesperson Nicole Taylor said in a statement to AFP.

"Mr Trump welcomed our reporting on the age and fitness of his predecessors; we're applying the same journalistic scrutiny to his vitality."

The newspaper said its reporting was "heavily sourced" and based on interviews with people close to the president and with medical experts.

"We won’t be deterred by false and inflammatory language that distorts the role of a free press," Taylor added.

Trump's post on Tuesday night came after a vigorous performance at a more than hour-long campaign-style rally on affordability in which he joked, sang, danced -- and lashed out at migrants and the "fake news." 

In his Truth Social post, he rejected claims that he was slowing down or "maybe not as sharp as I once was."

"I will know when I am 'slowing up,' but it’s not now!" he said.

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