Trump diagnosis is rare acknowledgement of president's health concerns

Washington Post

17-07-2025

The White House on Thursday said that President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with a mild but chronic illness related to his age — a rare admission from one of the nation's oldest presidents who has long sought to project vigor.
Trump has chronic venous insufficiency, the White House physician said in a memorandum, a condition in which the legs have trouble delivering blood back to the heart.
In an afternoon press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the diagnosis as 'a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.'
She introduced the issue after images circulated online this week of Trump with swollen legs at the FIFA World Cup and a bruised hand caked in makeup, prompting swarms of internet users to speculate that his administration was covering up a health crisis.
Trump rose to power a second time in part by drawing contrast to the mental and physical health of his predecessor, former president Joe Biden, and accusing his administration of concealing a cognitive decline. Now 79 years old, Trump has released a series of glowing medical letters about his health, repeatedly boasted about acing a cognitive test that he said was administered to him during his first term, and gone out of his way to flex his stamina with photos of golf outings and long, rousing speeches to his supporters.
As he has sought to project strength, Trump during both his 2020 and 2024 campaigns frequently raised questions about Biden's stamina, routinely referring to him with nicknames such as 'Sleepy Joe.' He also cast Biden as dishonest about his health — a charge embraced by his base that Trump continues to stoke while in office with investigations into what Biden's aides knew about the former president's mental acuity.
Leavitt told reporters during the press briefing that the president noticed 'mild swelling' in his lower legs and received an exam by the White House medical unit. She said the bruising on the back of his hands is 'consistent with minor-soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regiment.'
Some people are at a higher risk of developing chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and varicose veins due to their family history, said Thomas Maldonado, medical director of the Venous Thromboembolic Center at NYU Langone Health. Pregnant people and individuals who are overweight are also at increased risk of the condition. CVI can also be caused by sitting or standing for long periods of time.
Symptoms of CVI include aching, throbbing or a feeling of fatigue in the legs, said Chelsea Dorsey, the director of the Vein Clinic at UChicago Medicine. Swelling, skin discoloration and varicose veins are other signs, she said. Chronic cases can lead to complications, and in some cases, CVI can be a sign of a more serious condition such as problems with the heart, liver or kidneys, doctors said.
Leavitt said Trump's doctor, Sean Barbabella, found no evidence of arterial disease, heart failure or other systemic illnesses. He provided the diagnosis in a memorandum sent Thursday, according to the document shared by the White House.
In April, Barbabella pronounced Trump, the oldest person to be sworn in as U.S. president, 'fully fit' to execute the duties of the presidency.
Teddy Amenabar and Richard Sima contributed to this report.