WASHINGTON – The White House on Thursday announced that President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with “chronic venous insufficiency,” a common condition involving damaged veins in the legs, following a medical examination for recent leg swelling.
In a briefing with reporters, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt sought to downplay the diagnosis, describing the malady as a “benign and common condition” in which blood is prevented from flowing properly. Reading from a letter from the president’s physician, Leavitt added that the condition has higher rates “in individuals over the age of 70.”
At 79, Trump is the oldest person in U.S. history to assume the presidency. The health update is particularly notable given that Trump made questions over former President Joe Biden’s age and fitness a defining issue of the 2024 election. Biden, who is three years Trump’s senior, ultimately dropped out of the race amid pressure from his own party.
Leavitt stated that medical tests had ruled out more serious issues, confirming there was “no evidence” of conditions like “deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.” She added that all of the president’s test results “were within normal limits” and that he had “normal cardiac structure and function, no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness.”
The spokesperson also addressed recent online speculation about the president’s health that was stoked by visible bruises on his hands. Leavitt said the bruises were “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.”
While not legally required, it has become a modern tradition for U.S. presidents to release details of their annual physicals to provide transparency about their health. During his 2015 campaign, Trump’s then-personal doctor, Harold Bornstein, released a letter famously declaring that Trump “will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.”
