Biden, nearly 79, plans to undergo physical exam ‘soon,’ Psaki says

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President Biden will undergo a physical examination soon but no specific date has been set, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a news briefing Thursday.

Video from the briefing shows Psaki fielding questions from Playboy reporter Brian Karem as she donned a face mask and prepared to leave the White House briefing room after a session with a roomful of journalists.

"Hey Jen, will he take a physical anytime soon and report it to the American public?" Karem asked about Biden, who will turn 79 years old Nov. 20 and is the oldest man ever to serve in the Oval Office.

"He will," Psaki responded.

"How soon? Do we know?" Karem asked.

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"I don’t have an update for you but will soon," Psaki replied.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks at the White House in Washington, Oct. 14, 2021.  (Getty Images)

"But before the end of the year?" Karem continued.

"I promise you," Psaki answered. "Kelly [O’Donnell from NBC News] asks about this all the time. She’s keeping us on our toes."

Psaki's interaction with Karem came two days after the press secretary had addressed the question of a Biden physical exam at a previous briefing

"It is standard for every president to get a physical," Psaki said Tuesday. "He will get a physical too. When he gets a physical, we will make all of that information available."

O’Donnell also questioned Psaki about Biden’s health in September, after the president was seen coughing during a number of public appearances.

"I don’t think it’s an issue of concern," Psaki said Sept. 16. "There’s a range of reasons why we need to clear our throat or have a light cold."

President Biden prompted questions from reporters in September, when he was seen coughing during several speeches. (Getty Images)

Psaki added that a doctor travels with Biden and the president undergoes frequent assessments of his health.

Back in May, during previous questions about Biden’s health, Psaki insisted that Biden was physically fit and healthy.

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"I can tell you, having traveled with him a fair amount, sometimes he’s hard to keep up with," said Psaki, who was 42 at the time and will turn 43 on Dec. 1.

New questions about Biden’s health may have been prompted by the recent hospitalization of former President Bill Clinton, who was being treated in California for a urological infection and was expected to leave the hospital Sunday, having been admitted last Tuesday after feeling fatigued.

Clinton, who turned 75 in August, is nearly four years younger than Biden.

Psaki’s interaction with Karem on Thursday appears near the very end of this 43-minute video of that day's news briefing: