President Donald Trump shared on Monday that Florida Rep. Neal Dunn potentially had just months to live before a recent surgery, while House Speaker Mike Johnson said Dunn had a “new lease on life” after recent treatment.
The news came as Trump, speaking before a lunch with members of the Kennedy Center board, touted the GOP’s continued success despite the death of California Rep. Doug LaMalfa earlier this year and the announced retirement of several other Republican members.
“But we're looking very strong. We had one man who was very ill, looked like he wasn't going to make it,” Trump said, before turning to Johnson on his right. “I won't mention his name. Should I? Do other people know his name? He'll be proud. Do you want to mention it? Go ahead, tell them the story.”
Johnson proceeded to share that Dunn, 73, had faced “some real health challenges.”
“It was very serious and he had a pretty grim diagnosis,” Johnson said. “I mentioned it to the president and I said, ‘Congressman Dunn is a real champion and patriot because he's still coming to work, and if others got this diagnosis they would be apt to go home and retire.’”
Johnson added that he thinks it was a terminal diagnosis Dunn had received before Trump interrupted, “He would be dead by June.”
After a slight pause, Johnson replied, “Okay that wasn't public, but okay. It was grim, that's what I was going to say.”
Trump shared that Dunn had been diagnosed with a “heart problem.”
“I said that's bad. Number one it was bad because I liked him. Number two it was bad because I needed his vote,” Trump said. “But he really said, he said, ‘Mike, I'm going to last this out for the president and you and however long I live — I mean, it looks like June is the time — but however long I live, I'm going to be voting for you.’ I mean, how many people are going to say that? Most of them are going to say, ‘Mike I'm retiring immediately, that's the end.’”
It was after a phone call with Johnson, Trump said, that he spoke to two White House doctors who then operated on the Florida representative.
“It was a long operation. They gave him more stents and more everything that you could have. I think he's got everything that you could possibly have and they called up, they said, ‘Sir, I think he'll be fine.’ I said, ‘You got to be kidding.’ They said, ‘I think he'll be fine,’” Trump said.
He added that he had helped Dunn “for him first and for the votes second.”
“But it was a close second actually,” Trump joked.
A spokesperson for Dunn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dunn announced in January that he would not seek reelection, but said he would finish out his term so as not to narrow the already slim Republican majority.
On Monday, Johnson said Dunn “has a new lease on life.”
“He has more energy than a man half his age … and encouraged all of us. So, again, a testament to great leadership. My hat's off to Neal Dunn and his beautiful wife and family. He’s an extraordinary individual,” Johnson added.
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