Former US president Ford in hospital with pneumonia

Gerald Ford, the oldest living former US president, was undergoing treatment for pneumonia, his chief of staff said. He was said to be doing well.

Ford, 92, was admitted on Saturday to Eisenhower Medical Centre near his home in Rancho Mirage in Southern California, Penny Circle said.

“Based on his age it is prudent for his initial course of treatment – IV antibiotics – to be done at the hospital,” Circle said.

Ford was expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow or Thursday, she said.

“He’s doing very well,” she said.

Ford was admitted to the same hospital on December 12 and left the next day. Circle said at the time that Ford had undergone a regularly scheduled health exam, but noted that he also had been battling a bad cold.

Ford suffered two small strokes five years ago and spent about a week in a hospital.

He became the oldest living former US president after the death of Ronald Reagan in 2004.

Ford was House minority leader when President Richard Nixon chose him to replace the resigned Spiro Agnew as vice president in 1973.

Ford became president on August 9, 1974, when Nixon resigned amid the Watergate scandal.