1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

Congress needs to demand a full, independent medical assessment of President Trump's fitness for office. Trump disappeared from public view for six days after a Walter Reed checkup, and when he finally surfaced, it looked like damage control, not governance. The American public deserves more than a carefully managed photo op. The health concerns are documented and serious. Trump has been repeatedly filmed falling asleep during public appearances — eyes drooping, chin to chest — at cabinet meetings and elsewhere. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Dick Cheney's former cardiologist, reviewed Trump's Walter Reed report and called the absence of any mention of a sleep disorder a "glaring omission." Medical professionals have pointed to severe daytime somnolence, likely from untreated sleep apnea. Secretary of State Rubio denied ever seeing Trump fall asleep in public, even after being shown video of Trump sleeping at a cabinet meeting with Rubio sitting right beside him. A 79-year-old president with an undisclosed sleep disorder and chronic venous insufficiency is making decisions that affect every American. Congress has both the authority and the obligation to require transparency here. Push for an independent medical review, and make the findings public.