Democratic Lawmakers Question If Trump Is Mystery Recipient of Drug
FactCheck.org — 2026-07-08 12:54:00 — www.factcheck.org
Trump Denies Use of Unapproved Weight-Loss Drug Amid Speculation
During a January interview with the New York Times, President Trump stated that he has never taken a weight-loss drug but “probably should.” This comment resurfaced as speculation grew over whether Trump was the unnamed 79-year-old man reportedly receiving the unapproved Eli Lilly drug retatrutide through the FDA’s compassionate use program.
The White House has firmly denied that Trump is the recipient of the drug, and there is no evidence that he has received access to it. The speculation was fueled by a STAT report noting that the single patient granted access was a well-connected 79-year-old, and by the fact that Trump turned 80 in June and had gained weight according to his latest physical.
Despite the White House’s denial, some Democratic lawmakers pressed for more transparency, citing Trump’s history of misleading statements. Senator Maggie Hassan’s spokesperson referenced FactCheck.org’s record of cataloguing Trump’s repeated falsehoods and alleged self-dealing, using this as a basis to question whether the president or someone close to him received special access.
In summary, while Trump has publicly denied using weight-loss drugs, and the White House has refuted claims that he received retatrutide, the episode highlights ongoing concerns about transparency and the president’s record of false statements.
Source: https://www.factcheck.org/2026/07/democratic-lawmakers-question-if-trump-is-mystery-drug-recipient/