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U.S. Vice President JD Vance said he has received valuable preparation for potentially assuming presidential duties during his first 200 days in office, while defending President Donald Trump's health amid renewed scrutiny over the 78-year-old commander in chief's age and medical condition.
"I've gotten a lot of good on-the-job training over the last 200 days," Vance told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview Aug. 27 when asked whether he was ready to serve as president if needed.
Trump, who became the oldest person sworn in as president when he began his second term, has faced persistent questions about his fitness for office. The concerns intensified after the White House revealed in July that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a vein condition that caused visible swelling in his lower legs.
White House physician Sean Barbabella characterized the condition as "benign and common" in a memo, attributing the symptoms to "minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking."
Vance sought to dispel health concerns about his boss during the wide-ranging interview, which also covered his public disagreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce engagement, and Trump's efforts to remove a Federal Reserve governor.
"The president is an incredibly good health," Vance said. "He's got incredible energy."
The vice president emphasized Trump's demanding work schedule as evidence of his vitality, noting that while most White House staff are younger than the president, Trump maintains the longest hours.
"He's the last person making phone calls at night, and he's the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning," Vance said.
Trump's age became a campaign issue during the 2024 presidential race, with Democrats and even his primary opponent, Nikki Haley, raising concerns. Haley's campaign released an ad titled "Grumpy Old Men" that portrayed both Trump and then-President Joe Biden as aging leaders.
The president survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign. In July, a 20-year-old gunman shot Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with a bullet striking his right ear. Trump appeared at the Republican National Convention days later, wearing a white bandage over the injury.
A second attempt was thwarted in September when a Secret Service agent spotted an armed man hiding near Trump's Florida golf course.
Despite these security incidents and health questions, Vance expressed confidence in Trump's ability to complete his term while acknowledging the possibility of succession.
"Yes, terrible tragedies happen," Vance said. "But I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people."
He added: "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."
The vice president also shared his first impression of the Oval Office, describing the drapes as "dark and gloomy," though he insisted he wasn't measuring them for a future presidency.
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