President Donald Trump revealed that Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., was once told he could be dead within months due to a severe heart condition before a rapid intervention by White House doctors dramatically improved his outlook.
The disclosure came during remarks alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, who described the congressman’s original diagnosis as dire. Johnson said Dunn continued reporting to work despite what he characterized as a grim medical situation.
“[Dunn] had had a pretty grim diagnosis,” Johnson said. “I mentioned it to the president, and I said, ‘Congressman Dunn is a real champion and a patriot because he’s still coming to work.’ And if others got this diagnosis, they would be apt to go home and retire,” he said.
“What was the diagnosis?” Trump asked. “It was… I mean, I think it was a terminal diagnosis,” Johnson said.
Trump then underscored the severity of the situation. “He would be dead by June,” Trump said. Johnson noted the information had not previously been public. “OK, that wasn’t public, but yeah… it was grim,” he said.
Dunn, who represents Florida’s 2nd Congressional District, announced in January that he plans to retire at the end of his current term. He is a physician and former Army surgeon who practiced urology in Panama City for 25 years before being elected to Congress in 2016.
He currently serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is vice chair of its Health Subcommittee. His condition was tied to a serious heart issue, according to Johnson.
After learning of the diagnosis, Trump reached out directly to Dunn and suggested involving White House medical personnel. Johnson said the response was immediate.
“And the president mentioned in the course of the conversation, you know, how to get my doctors involved,” Johnson said. “And they did. And within a number of hours, they took him to Walter Reed emergency surgery,” he said.
The procedure appears to have significantly improved Dunn’s condition, according to Johnson. Lawmakers were struck by the change when he returned.
“The man has a new lease on life,” Johnson said. “He acts like he’s 30 years younger. And he walked into the conference meeting and we thought we’d seen a ghost,” he said.
Johnson said he recently spoke with Dunn, who expressed gratitude following the intervention. “I spoke with him over the weekend, and he’s encouraged and thankful, and he thanks the President for his leadership and intervention,” he said.
Trump also reflected on his initial reaction to the news. “I said, that’s bad. Number one, it was bad because I liked him,” Trump said. “Number two, it was bad because I needed his vote,” he said.
Despite the diagnosis, Dunn told House leadership he intended to continue serving as long as he was physically able. Johnson praised his commitment. “He’s an extraordinary guy,” Johnson said.
Following emergency surgery at Walter Reed and continued care, Dunn’s condition appears to have stabilized, offering colleagues renewed optimism about his recovery.
This comes as billionaire Elon Musk has resumed major political spending ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, donating millions of dollars to Republican political groups and candidates.
Federal filings show Musk contributed $20 million to two Republican super PACs by the end of 2025.
Musk also donated $10 million to a super PAC supporting Kentucky Senate candidate Nate Morris, who is running to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, The Hill reported.
Musk spent heavily during the 2024 election cycle, contributing at least $250 million to support President Donald Trump’s campaign.
After Trump’s victory, Musk joined the administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, a cost-cutting initiative focused on reducing federal spending and the size of the federal workforce.
In December, Musk donated another $5 million to each of the two Republican leadership PACs.
Last June, he donated $5 million each to super PACs aligned with House and Senate Republican leadership, as well as $5 million to Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., according to Federal Election Commission filings.
The donations helped increase the Senate Leadership Fund’s cash reserves to $100 million at the end of the year, while the House leadership PAC reported $54 million on hand.