Topline
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Donald Trump was diagnosed with a chronic venous insufficiency, a condition common in people over age 70, which caused swelling in his ankles—but remains in “excellent health,” despite speculation on social media.
The White House said President Donald Trump was still in “excellent health.”
Key Facts
Trump was evaluated by the White House medical unit after noticing swelling in his ankles, Leavitt said, following days of speculation over photos of his ankles at the FIFA Club World Cup final and his hands at a press event Tuesday.
Blood testing showed no signs of “deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease,” and the results were “within normal limits,” Leavitt said.
Additional testing showed no signs of heart failure or other systemic illnesses.
Leavitt said Trump has “no discomfort” from the swelling, and said he was still working “around the clock.”
Leavitt also addressed photos of Trump with what appeared to be bruises on the back of his hand, insisting they were the result of “soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking,” as well as a side-effect of the president’s use of aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease.
The White House previously dismissed speculation about the bruising on his hands in February, again telling NBC News it was caused by “working and shaking hands all day every day.”
What We Don’t Know
Leavitt did not provide further details about how Trump’s physicians could treat the condition, which they referred to as “benign.” When asked about treatment by reporters at the press briefing, she deferred to the White House physician.
Key Background
In January, Trump at 78 became the oldest person to be inaugurated as president—beating former President Joe Biden by several months. But over the course of the 2024 campaign season, Trump repeatedly slammed the former president over his health—in particular, his apparent cognitive decline, which became a major reason for his decision to retire from the campaign trail that July. Trump and congressional Republicans have continued to scrutinize Biden’s health, with members of the House Oversight Committee issuing subpoenas to the former president’s doctors in recent weeks to answer questions.
What Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
Chronic venous insufficiency is a common condition typically caused by “incompetent venous valves,” according to the National Institutes of Health. Symptoms can include pain, leg swelling, pruritus, skin discoloration, limb heaviness and edema, and if left untreated the condition can lead to “diminished quality of life and loss of work productivity” as well as further problems including venous ulcers, the NIH says. About 150,000 new patients are diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency each year.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2025/07/17/trump-diagnosed-with-common-chronic-vein-disease-white-house-insists-he-is-in-excellent-health/