The late father of two daughters, a podiatrist in New York, has been accused by his offspring of assisting Donald Trump in avoiding military service during the Vietnam War by diagnosing him with bone spurs.
According to a recent report, Dr. Larry Braunstein, who practiced in Queens until his passing in 2007, allegedly provided the medical diagnosis as a favor to Trump’s father, Fred Trump. The daughters, Dr. Elysa Braunstein and Sharon Kessel, shared with the New York Times that their father frequently recounted the anecdote within their family and friends’ circle.
Although no supporting documents were found by the newspaper to corroborate the family’s assertions, Elysa Braunstein admitted uncertainty about whether her father had actually examined Donald Trump. Records from the Times revealed that Dr. Braunstein leased his surgery in Jamaica, Queens from Fred Trump in the 1960s. Both daughters affirmed that their father issued the bone spurs diagnosis as a goodwill gesture towards the Trump patriarch.
Elysa Braunstein mentioned to the Times that her father implied President Trump did not truly suffer from any foot condition. In 1968, fresh out of the University of Pennsylvania, Donald Trump, at 22 years old, was diagnosed with bone spurs in his heels. Prior to this exemption, Trump had evaded the military draft on four occasions while pursuing his studies.
In a 2016 interview, Trump recalled receiving a strong letter from a doctor regarding his heel spurs, which he submitted to draft authorities. However, Trump could not recall the physician’s identity when pressed.
Heel spurs are bony growths caused by calcium deposits on the heel bone, with treatment options including stretching exercises, orthotic devices, or surgery. President Trump claimed he never underwent an operation for this condition.
Since beginning his second term in office, concerns about President Trump’s health have surfaced. His medical team disclosed this summer that he has chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where veins in the arms or legs are compromised, potentially leading to swelling and discomfort.