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Trump Organization lawyer disputes doctor's account of 'raid' for president's medical records

The president's medical records were seized in February last year.

May 2, 2018, 2:06 PM

The Trump Organization Wednesday disputed an account by the president's former personal doctor that his office was "raided" in 2017 to collect President Donald Trump's medical records while confirming its chief legal officer was involved in the seizure.

The president's former personal doctor, Harold Bornstein, said in an interview Tuesday with NBC News he felt "raped, frightened and sad" when in early February of last year Trump Organization lawyer Alan Gartens and President Trump's then-director of Oval Office operations Keith Schiller came to his office to collect the president's medical records.

"At the request of the White House, Dr. Bornstein voluntarily turned over the medical records to Mr. Schiller," a spokesperson for Gartens said in a statement Tuesday to ABC News. "The hand off, which occurred well over a year ago, was peaceful, cooperative and cordial."

Bornstein said he was not provided any documentation that would authorize the release of Trump's medical records, in what some have surmised could amount to a violation of patient privacy laws. Bornstein said he also believed the records collection was partly a result of a New York Times interview he gave where he revealed details about the president's health.

"Prior to turning over the records, Dr. Bornstein was informed of the reasons for the request and willingly complied," Gartens' spokesperson said.

In describing the episode Tuesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said it's "standard operating procedure for a new president, the White House Medical Unit took possession of the president's medical records."

But it's unclear why a lawyer from the president's private company would be present during the collection, following the president's announcement just weeks before of his formal separation from his businesses.

Bornstein created further controversy later Tuesday in an interview with CNN when he claimed that the president personally "dictated" a letter during the 2016 campaign that gave the then-candidate a glowing review of Trump's health.

"He dictated that whole letter. I didn't write that letter," Bornstein said. "I just made it up as I went along."

Questions about the health of both Trump and his opponent Hillary Clinton were a running thread during the campaign.

President Trump often publicly questioned Clinton's "stamina" while at the same time his campaign dismissed questions surrounding the letter from Dr. Bornstein that boldly stated, "If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency."

The White House and Trump campaign have not responded to multiple requests for comment from ABC News about whether either disputes Dr. Bornstein's claims.

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