WASHINGTON − The first time Vice President JD Vance walked into the Oval Office, he noticed the drapes ("dark and gloomy")  – but he insists he’s not measuring them for a future turn behind the Resolute Desk.

“I've gotten a lot of good on-the-job training over the last 200 days,” Vance said in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY on Aug. 27, when asked if he was ready to assume the role of commander-in-chief.

His boss, after all, is the oldest person to be sworn in as president of the United States. President Donald Trump was 78 when he began his second term in office.

“The president is an incredibly good health,” said Vance. “He's got incredible energy.”

The wide-ranging interview covered topics including his televised spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce engagement, and the president's controversial efforts to oust a Federal Reserve governor.

While the question of Trump's age had been raised throughout his presidential campaign by Democrats and even his own primary opponent Nikki Haley (Haley's campaign released a campaign ad titled "Grumpy Old Men" casting both former President Joe Biden and Trump as stumbling seniors), concerns around Trump's health have resurfaced in recent months.

The White House announced in July that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common vein condition, after images taken of the president showed visible swelling in his lower legs.

Sean Barbabella, the White House physician, described the condition as "benign and common" in a memo, saying they were "consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking."

Vance was eager to present a positive outlook on his boss's health, saying while most people who work with the president are younger than he is, Trump keeps the longest work hours.

“He's the last person making phone calls at night, and he's the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning,” he said.

Trump was a target of two assassination attempts last year while campaigning as a presidential candidate.

In July 2024, Trump was shot by a 20-year-old gunman at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet struck and injured the upper part of his right ear. Days later, Trump wore a large white bandage on his ear while attending the Republican National Convention to accept his party's presidential nomination.

In September, a Secret Service agent helped stop a second assassination attempt by spotting a man with a rifle hiding in shrubbery near Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.

“Yes, terrible tragedies happen,” said Vance. “But I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people.”

“And if, God forbid, there's a terrible tragedy, I can't think of better on the job training than what I've gotten over the last 200 days,” he added.

Francesca Chambers and Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy are White House Correspondents for USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vance's gotten training to be president; Trump has 'incredible' energy