&w=3840&q=100)
'Swollen ankles, bruised hands': Is everything okay with Donald Trump?
Attending the FIFA Club World Cup at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025, Trump was photographed with noticeably swollen ankles and what seemed to be bruises on his hand. AFP
Images of US President Donald Trump at a recent public appearance have stirred fresh chatter online, not about politics this time, but about his health.
Attending the FIFA Club World Cup at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025, Trump was photographed with noticeably swollen ankles and what seemed to be bruises on his hand.
Neither Trump nor his team has issued any clarification, but the photos have triggered speculation on social media about the 79-year-old's president's health.
What makes this even more noticeable is that just a few months ago, in April, Trump's official health report described him as 'fully fit,' with no concerns mentioned about his mobility or extremities.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
So, are these recent signs something to worry about? Here's what we know
Why are Donald Trump's ankles swollen?
As social media speculations about Trump's health gained traction, a physician expressed concerns that the US President could be dealing with a serious health issue.
Speaking to ReachPlc, Dr Jeff Foster, Medical Director of Manual, shared what might be behind the visible swelling. 'Ankle swelling can be due to a range of factors: anything from standing up for too long in the hot weather, to heart or liver problems,' he said.
Foster also pointed to a more concerning possibility. 'The big one we worry about is heart failure, which is a condition where the heart cannot pump the blood around the body fast enough, which results in fluid pooling in the feet and ankles.'
Swollen ankles at the World Cup
Bruised hand at today's press availability.
Is the Trump administration hiding the President's health?
Where is @jaketapper? pic.twitter.com/SRo0bpJReK — Maine (@TheMaineWonk) July 15, 2025
While swelling during summer isn't unusual, Foster noted it's not typically a sign seen in someone who's in good health. 'While we all get a tight rim round our socks in the heat, we don't usually see any significant ankle swelling in anyone who is fit and well and this would beg the question as to whether there is something more significant health-wise going on,' he explained.
Offering a similar warning, Dr Mahesh Agarwal, an interventional cardiologist at Manipal Hospital in Bhubaneshwar, told Times Now, 'The body often sends out early distress signals, and ignoring them could delay crucial diagnoses. Symptoms like swollen ankles, unexplained bruises, or a persistent limp may appear minor, but they could be the body's way of signalling something more serious beneath the surface.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The conversation around Trump's health picked up after he and First Lady Melania were seen attending the FIFA Club World Cup finals at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Photos from the event, especially those showing the President from a front angle, revealed his visibly swollen ankles and drew immediate attention online.
The conversation around Trump's health picked up after he and First Lady Melania were seen attending the FIFA Club World Cup finals at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. AFP
'Swollen ankles at the World Cup. Bruised hand at today's press availability. Is the Trump administration hiding the President's health?' one user posted on X. Another commented on his posture, saying, 'He walks slumped over and sits in a way that looks like he is compensating for some breathing difficulty.'
Did excessive handshaking cause bruising on Trump's hand?
A recurring bruise on the back of President Trump's right hand has also raised concerns, especially after it was spotted again during a recent public appearance.
Trump was photographed boarding Marine One at the White House en route to Pittsburgh, where he appeared to be wearing a noticeable amount of concealer on the back of his hand.
A recurring bruise on the back of President Donald Trump's right hand has raised eyebrows, especially after it was spotted again. File image/ AFP
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Daily Beast that the mark was caused by the president's habitual handshaking. 'President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history,' she said, offering a similar explanation just a month earlier.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
However, not all medical professionals are convinced by that reasoning.
Dr Neal H Patel, a physician at Providence St Joseph Hospital, told the Daily Mail earlier this year that it's unlikely handshaking alone could lead to such bruising. 'I see a lot of patients who are businessmen, and I've never really seen them getting bruising from too much handshaking,' he said. 'I guess it's possible, but that would really not be on my list of ideas of what causes it.'
Instead, Dr Patel speculated that the bruise could be from an IV needle. Other experts have pointed out that Trump's age may play a role, especially if he is also dealing with conditions like osteoporosis.
Dr Mahesh Agarwal also added a word of caution, telling Times Now that bruises without an obvious cause should not be ignored.
'They may indicate issues with blood clotting or platelet disorders or even be a side effect of certain medications like blood thinners or steroids,' he said. 'In rare cases, frequent bruising could be linked to liver disease, leukaemia, or vitamin deficiencies (especially C and K).'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
With input from agencies
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Who is Thai princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati? Potential heir unconscious for 3 years
Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, who has been unconscious for nearly three years after collapsing due to a heart condition, is now being treated for a severe infection, the Bureau of the Royal Household said. Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha was seen as a potential heir to the throne before she slipped into a coma in 2022.(AFP) Doctors treating the 46-year-old princess, the oldest of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's seven children, detected an infection in her bloodstream on August 9, the bureau said in a statement on Friday. She's been administered different types of antibiotics and other medications to stabilise her blood pressure levels, the statement added. Who is Thai princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati? Some analysts saw Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati as a potential heir to the throne before she slipped into a coma in 2022. If she succeeded, she would become Thailand's first female monarch. 73-year-old King Vajiralongkorn has not appointed an heir since taking the throne in 2016. The princess is the daughter of the king's cousin, who was the first of his four wives and the couple's only child. Born on December 7, 1978, in Bangkok, she was educated at Heathfield School, a prestigious all-girls school in England, as a teenager before earning two graduate degrees at Cornell University. Princess Bajrakitiyabha has a law degree from Cornell University and has served as a diplomat to Austria, Slovakia, and Slovenia. She has also held roles at UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The princess has also served in the attorney general's office and holds the rank of general in the king's Royal Security Command unit. She largely stayed quiet on national politics, including the mass 2020 protests over monarchy reform. The princess has been put on medical equipment to support the functions of her lungs and kidneys since her collapse in December 2022, according to the bureau. Doctors have occasionally detected infections, for which antibiotics have periodically been administered.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Thai princess being treated for severe infection after nearly three years in coma
Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, who has been unconscious for nearly three years after collapsing due to a heart condition, is now being treated for a severe infection, the Bureau of the Royal Household said. Thailand's Princess Bajrakitiyabha in critical care with severe bloodstream infection.(Representative image/AFP) Doctors treating the 46-year-old princess, the oldest of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's seven children, detected an infection in her bloodstream on Aug. 9, the bureau said in a statement Friday. She's been administered different types of antibiotics and other medication to stabilize her blood pressure levels, it said. The medical team at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok continues to provide full care and is closely monitoring the princess's condition, the bureau said. Bajrakitiyabha was seen by some analysts as a potential heir to the throne, which would make her the first female monarch of Thailand. King Vajiralongkorn, 73, has not appointed an heir since taking the throne in 2016. The princess has been put on medical equipment to support the functions of her lungs and kidneys since her collapse in December 2022, according to the bureau. Doctors have occasionally detected infections, for which antibiotics have periodically been administered, the palace said. Since she became ill, Bajrakitiyabha's portraits have been shown in public places in the Southeast Asian nation, with messages wishing her a speedy recovery. Bajrakitiyabha, who has a law degree from Cornell University, served as a diplomat to Austria and held roles at UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. She has also served in the attorney general's office and holds the rank of general in the king's Royal Security Command unit.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
13 dead, 21 blind after drinking tainted alcohol in Kuwait; Indians among victims
A spate of methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol in Kuwait has left 13 people dead and 21 others blind or with impaired vision, the country's health ministry said. According to Reuters and AFP, 63 people, all from Asian nationalities, have been hospitalised since Saturday after consuming illicit liquor. Of them, 51 required urgent kidney dialysis, while 31 needed mechanical ventilation. The Embassy of India in Kuwait, on August 13, confirmed that around 40 Indian nationals have been admitted to various hospitals in recent days. 'There have been some fatalities, some are in a critical condition while others are recovering,' the embassy said in a statement posted on X, adding that it is seeking further details from authorities. 🔔 Press Release — India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) August 13, 2025 Kuwait has not officially disclosed the victims' nationalities, but unconfirmed reports suggest that some of the deceased may be Malayalis and Tamilians, along with nationals from Nepal. Kuwait has enforced a strict ban on alcohol imports since 1964, criminalising its consumption in the 1980s. Despite this, illicit alcohol is often brewed in secret facilities lacking any safety oversight, making drinkers vulnerable to methanol contamination, as per Reuters . The Gulf state has a large expat workforce, including many from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, particularly in construction, domestic work, and retail. (With inputs from Reuters, AFP)
