Trump Calls Melania's Surgery a 'Big Operation'

The White House has been largely tight-lipped on the surgery that Melania Trump had on May 14 beyond saying the first lady "underwent an embolization procedure to treat a benign kidney condition." On Friday President Trump elaborated via a handful of sentences. As he departed for the G7 in Canada, CNN reports he gestured toward the White House and said, "First lady's great, right there. She wanted to go [to the G7 and then on to Singapore]. Can't fly for one month, the doctors say. She had a big operation, that was close to a 4-hour operation. And she's doing great."

His statement had the New York Times looking for more insight; it spoke to doctors who said an embolization procedure generally wouldn't take more than two hours, but that if the president were referring to the entire pre- and post-op prep and treatment, four hours wouldn't be unreasonable. The first lady's office said on Friday that the embolization was the only procedure Melania had during her five-night stay at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. Added rep Stephanie Grisham, "The statement I put out on May 14 was correct. Mrs. Trump had a successful embolization procedure. She cannot travel internationally yet, and is doing great."