Fact check: How many times did Donald Trump receive a draft deferment for bone spurs?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Donald Trump received one medical deferment specifically for bone spurs ^[1]. However, this was part of a total of five draft deferments - four college deferments followed by the medical deferment for bone spurs in 1968 ^{[1] [2]}.

The bone spurs diagnosis came from Dr. Larry Braunstein, a Queens, New York podiatrist who had a business relationship with Trump's father, Fred Trump ^{[3] [4]}. The daughters of Dr. Braunstein have stated that their father provided the diagnosis as a "favor" to Fred Trump and that he often told the story of helping Trump avoid military service through this diagnosis ^[4].

Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, has testified that Trump fabricated the bone spurs injury to avoid Vietnam War service ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question focuses narrowly on bone spurs deferments but omits several crucial pieces of context:

• Trump received a total of five deferments, not just the bone spurs deferment - four were for college attendance before the medical deferment ^{[1] [2]}
• Draft deferments were common during the Vietnam era, particularly among young men from wealthy and influential families who could afford college education or obtain favorable medical diagnoses ^[2]
• The legitimacy of the bone spurs diagnosis is highly questionable - the podiatrist who provided it rented office space from Trump's father, creating a potential conflict of interest ^{[1] [3]}
• Trump maintained an active athletic schedule in college despite allegedly having bone spurs severe enough to exempt him from military service ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, while factually answerable, creates a misleading impression by focusing solely on bone spurs deferments. This framing:

• Understates the total number of deferments Trump received (five total vs. one for bone spurs)
• Omits the controversial circumstances surrounding the bone spurs diagnosis
• Fails to acknowledge the broader pattern of draft avoidance through multiple deferments
• Doesn't mention the credible allegations from both Trump's former lawyer and the diagnosing doctor's family that the medical condition was fabricated

The question appears designed to elicit a simple numerical answer while avoiding the more complex and controversial aspects of Trump's draft history during the Vietnam War era.