White House Physician: Trump Has Common Circulatory Condition
White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella disclosed Thursday that President Trump, 79, has chronic venous insufficiency but “remains in excellent health.”
During an earlier press conference, Karoline Leavitt noted this is a “common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
After Trump reported “mild swelling” in his lower legs, he underwent a “comprehensive examination,” and Barbabella found no signs of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. The exact date of the exam was not specified, NPR reported.
Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when vein valves malfunction, causing blood that should return to the heart for oxygenation to pool in the lower legs, according to published information on the condition.
During Thursday’s briefing, Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, also addressed recent photos showing bruising on the president’s hands, attributing it to frequent handshakes and regular aspirin use, which he takes to help prevent cardiovascular issues.
“The president underwent a comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies. Bilateral lower extremity intravenous doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,” Leavitt said. “The president remains in excellent health.”
A reporter asked if the president was feeling any discomfort from the condition at one point during the briefing.
“Nope. No discomfort from the president at all. And you probably all see that on a day-to-day basis. He’s working around the clock,” Leavitt responded.
The circulatory issue was not raised in Trump’s annual physical exam in April, NPR noted. That report said, “blood flow to his extremities is unimpaired.” It did note he takes aspirin for heart health, but concluded — as the memo Thursday states — that Trump “remains in excellent health.”
🚨 BREAKING: White House releases FULL physician memo on President Trump's leg swelling following swirling theories from the media and Democrats
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 17, 2025
"All results were within normal limits…President Trump remains in excellent health." pic.twitter.com/yrt1Odcaze
Here is a screenshot of Barbabella’s memo:
Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when damaged vein valves in the legs can’t effectively return blood to the heart, causing it to pool and elevating pressure in the leg veins. Over time, this pressure can rupture tiny capillaries, leading to easy bruising, reddish-brown skin discoloration, inflammation, tissue damage, and—even if left untreated—venous ulcers, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
According to the Society for Vascular Surgery, the condition affects as many as 40% of Americans, especially women and those who are middle-aged or older.
“The veins, particularly in the lower extremity, are very thin walled structures and they have valves so that when you stand up, all the blood doesn’t rush to your feet, these valves close, but over time these valves can become dysfunctional,” Dr. Niten Signh, a vascular surgeon at the University of Washington, told NPR.
Several X users responded to Trump’s generally positive health report, with some noting how it conflicted with that of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
“Funny everyone is so concerned about [the] health of the president who plays golf and does regular press briefings but no one seemed to care about the guy who wandered off into the Amazon and needed help from the Easter rabbit,” one user wrote.
“The Trump administration is being transparent about the President health unlike the Biden administration where there was none except lies,” said another.
“Excellent medical report, especially for someone who is 78 yrs old and works 60/70 hours a week while carrying a heavy load of pressure and staying positive,” another user wrote.
One user was somewhat introspective regarding Trump’s condition, suggesting that Vice President JD Vance could someday be called upon to take over if the president should fall ill.
“This made me realize that I really need to know that JD Vance is as MAGA as [T]rump. Especially when it comes to other nations. It’s easy to assume but it is an honest question,” the user wrote.
