US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that he is not eager to wear a bulletproof vest, even after several alleged assassination attempts, because he worries it might make him look overweight.
"I don't know if I can handle looking 20 pounds heavier," Trump told reporters when asked if there had been discussions about him wearing protective gear. Reports in US media indicate that the measure is being considered following the latest alleged attempt on the 79-year-old president's life at a Washington gala on Saturday.
"I've been asked about that. I guess it's something you consider. In one way, you don't like to do it because you're giving in to a bad element. And so, I don't know. But I have been asked about it," he added.
A man has been charged with attempting to assassinate the Republican on Saturday night at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel. Secret Service agents subdued the alleged assailant before he could reach the ballroom where the event was held. This marks the third alleged attempt on Trump's life in two years.
The most serious incident occurred in 2024 when the president was wounded in the ear by a gunman at an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulting in the death of one audience member.
Trump is known to be sensitive about his appearance, and his weight has been a topic of concern. Although he is slimmer during his second term, the self-confessed fast food enthusiast weighed 224 pounds (101.6 kilograms) as of his last full annual medical exam in April 2025, down from 243 pounds in 2019.
