This archive report was first published on 27 November 2019.
US President Donald Trump has sparked widespread criticism with a photo-shopped image of himself as a bare-chested boxer, in an attempt to quash speculation over his health after a sudden hospital visit.
According to his last medical exam in February, Trump is technically obese but in good health. However, he rarely exercises, other than playing golf.
Trump's tweet, which featured his head superimposed on the body of a boxer from the movie "Rocky III," was met with instant mockery online, with many questioning the unusual circumstances of his hospital visit.
On Tuesday, Trump gave a re-election campaign speech in Florida, where he fumed at length about his recent hospital visit, claiming that major media outlets were reporting he'd had a "massive" heart attack when he was taken to the Walter Reed military hospital.
However, most media questioned the unusual circumstances of the visit, which would usually have been flagged in advance. The White House said afterward that Trump had simply decided to do part of his annual physical exam early, in order to save time later.
Trump has a history of making unscripted comments about the physique of other men, often to their face during official events. He has previously expressed scorn for opponents' small hands or admiration for the big hands of visitors to the White House and others.
"The first thing they do is say, 'Take off your shirt, sir, and show us that gorgeous chest. We've never seen a chest quite like it,'" Trump said, in a bizarre rant about his recent hospital visit.
