NBC News' Kristen Welker clashes with Speaker Mike Johnson on Trump's cholesterol levels

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NBC's Kristen Welker presses House Speaker on whether Trump should release his cholesterol levels

NBC News' Kristen Welker pressed Mike Johnson on whether Donald Trump should release his cholesterol levels on Sunday during an interview with "Meet the Press."

NBC News' Kristen Welker questioned House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Sunday about whether former President Trump should release his cholesterol level during an interview on "Meet The Press."

"You can see that he didn’t release his medical record. You don’t want to know things like his cholesterol level, whether he’s dealing with any issue that we may not know about if he’s going to be commander in chief? And he also said he would release cognitive tests," Welker asked. 

The White House released Kamala Harris' medical records on Saturday as the vice president challenged Trump to do the same.

"Kristen, listen to your question!" Johnson responded as the NBC News host asked again, "Should he release that?"

NBC's Kristen Welker pressed House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday about whether Donald Trump should release his cholesterol level. (Screenshot/NBC)

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"Kristen, the American people don’t care about the cholesterol level of Donald Trump. They care about the cost of living and the fact they cannot pay for groceries because Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s policies have put them in that situation. The medical records are irrelevant," Johnson responded.

Johnson insisted they talk about more significant issues. 

"Let’s talk about things that the American people care about. That’s why Donald Trump is surging in the polls because he’s doing that on stages, in interviews, nonstop around the clock. And Kamala Harris has done nothing," he added. 

Johnson said earlier in the discussion that Trump's health was on "display."

Former President Trump speaks to supporters during a campaign event at Saginaw Valley State University on Oct. 3, 2024, in Michigan. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race after his June debate against Trump, which was followed by pressure from fellow Democrats over Biden's mental fitness and ability to win.

Advisers to Harris encouraged her office to release her medical history and health information to put a spotlight on Trump's health and mental acuity, since the 78-year-old Republican nominee would be the oldest president at the end of his potential second term, according to a senior aide.

During an August interview with CBS News, Trump said that he would "gladly" release his medical records, noting at the time that he had a "perfect score" on a recent medical exam. He has not yet done so. 

Fox News' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.