Fact check: Donald trump talk about his bone spurs

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal significant controversy surrounding Donald Trump's bone spurs diagnosis that exempted him from military service during the Vietnam War. Multiple sources present compelling evidence that the medical deferment was questionable:

• Dr. Larry Braunstein, a Queens podiatrist who rented his office from Fred Trump, allegedly diagnosed Trump with bone spurs as a "favor" to Trump's father, according to the doctor's daughters ^[1]
• Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, testified that Trump "made up a fake injury to avoid military service" and that no medical records supported the bone spurs diagnosis ^[2]
• The Haley campaign has characterized Trump's bone spurs as "mysterious" and "spontaneous," questioning the validity of the diagnosis and suggesting it was fabricated to avoid military service ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original query lacks several crucial pieces of context:

• The political implications: Nikki Haley's campaign has weaponized this issue against Trump, suggesting his alleged draft avoidance explains "his disrespect for service members and veterans" ^[3]
• The family connection: The diagnosis came from a doctor who had a financial relationship with the Trump family through a rental agreement, creating a potential conflict of interest ^[1]
• The broader pattern: This isn't just about medical records but about systematic draft avoidance during the Vietnam era, with Trump receiving multiple deferments
• Political beneficiaries: Opponents like Nikki Haley and critics benefit from promoting this narrative to undermine Trump's credibility with military voters and veterans

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement is extremely vague and doesn't acknowledge the serious allegations surrounding Trump's bone spurs diagnosis. By simply asking about Trump "talking about his bone spurs," it fails to address:

• The lack of medical documentation supporting the diagnosis ^[2]
• The testimony from his former lawyer that the injury was fabricated ^[2]
• The family favor aspect of the diagnosis from a tenant doctor ^[1]

The neutral framing obscures what multiple sources characterize as a potential fraud to avoid military service, presenting it as merely a topic Trump discusses rather than a controversial claim that has been challenged by credible witnesses and lacks medical substantiation.