White House Confirms Trump Diagnosed with Long-Term Vein Condition 

Amid growing online speculation over images of his swollen ankles and bruised hand, U.S. President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with a long-term but non-threatening vein condition, the White House confirmed on Thursday.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the 79-year-old president was recently found to have “chronic venous insufficiency” after he “noted mild swelling in his lower legs.”

According to Leavitt, the discoloration on Trump’s right hand, which had also sparked concern, was the result of “frequent handshaking” and the regular use of aspirin as part of a “standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”

Leavitt told reporters that Trump had requested the release of a note from his physician to clear the air “in the effort of transparency.”

She explained that following a comprehensive medical examination and ultrasound testing, doctors diagnosed the president with a common age-related condition where damaged leg veins don’t efficiently return blood to the heart. “Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease,” she assured.

Trump, who took office in January as the oldest person ever elected to the presidency—beating the record previously held by Joe Biden—has often projected himself as physically strong, energetic, and fit. In April, after a routine medical exam, Trump declared himself to be in “very good shape.”

Still, concerns grew louder after footage from the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey appeared to show the president with visibly swollen ankles. Combined with viral images of his bruised hand, social media users began speculating about his health.

But Leavitt, 27, moved to put those fears to rest, saying tests showed Trump had “a normal cardiac structure and function, no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness.”

On the bruising, she added: “This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy. And the president remains in excellent health.”

Despite these reassurances, the White House had previously brushed aside questions about Trump’s hand, attributing it to excessive handshaking—a routine part of his public engagements.

Presidential health has always drawn intense scrutiny, but the past several years have seen even closer attention with Trump and his predecessor Biden being the two oldest men to hold the office in U.S. history.

Meanwhile, Trump’s administration has continued to accuse the Biden White House of hiding details about the former president’s declining health. Biden, who was 82 when he left office, was forced to abandon his re-election campaign following a disastrous debate against Trump.

The issue of age and fitness dominated the 2024 election season. House Republicans have since subpoenaed several Biden aides, including his physician, to testify in an inquiry into his mental condition.

Trump has also publicly questioned Biden’s fitness for office, citing the use of an autopen—a long-used mechanical signature tool—as proof of incapacity, though no evidence supports this claim.

Biden, diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in May, has defended his mental sharpness and maintained that he could have secured a second term if he had remained in the race.