The White House has addressed recent photographs showing President Donald Trump with swollen ankles and bruising on his right hand, assuring the public that these are not indicative of serious health concerns.
Officials explained that the swelling is attributable to a common vein condition, while the bruising results from frequent handshaking. During a press briefing, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, reading from a letter by Trump’s physician, stated that both issues are benign. She informed reporters that the leg swelling is due to a “common” vein condition, and the hand bruising is a consequence of shaking many hands.
Doctors have ruled out any serious health problems, affirming that the U.S. President is in excellent health. This statement aimed to quell a wave of online speculation that the 79-year-old president might be suffering from a more severe medical condition based on the visual evidence.
Following the briefing, the White House released the letter from U.S. Navy officer and Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella, confirming that Trump had undergone a series of tests regarding these concerns. Barbabella detailed that an ultrasound on the president’s legs “revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” He further noted that there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. Additional examinations found no signs of heart failure, kidney impairment, or any systemic illness, Barbabella added. Leavitt also confirmed that Trump was experiencing no discomfort from the condition.
Barbabella further explained that the bruising on Trump’s right hand was “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.” He concluded his report by affirming, “President Trump remains in excellent health.”
Kwame Amankwah, chief of vascular surgery at the University of Connecticut in Hartford, elaborated that chronic venous insufficiency typically affects the lower legs, where veins struggle to return blood effectively to the heart. He mentioned that it is generally managed with compression stockings and leg elevation. Amankwah cautioned, “Even without heart disease, the condition needs to be managed. If it isn’t controlled with compression and elevation, it can lead to severe swelling and ulcers, requiring more significant treatment.”
Todd Berland, director of outpatient vascular interventions at NYU Langone Health, clarified that chronic venous insufficiency “has no overall impact on life expectancy. It’s a quality-of-life issue, not a quantity-of-life issue.”
It is noteworthy that Trump underwent a full physical examination on April 11 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre near Washington, where doctors reported a normal heart rhythm and no major health concerns.
