On Thursday, Donald Trump underwent an examination for swelling in his leg. Later, it was announced that the president had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. Now, an expert has provided more details about what the condition actually entails. Although it’s not life-threatening, it could seriously affect his everyday life.
Donald Trump’s noticeably swollen ankles have been a subject of public discussion, especially after recent public appearances and photographs fueled further health speculation.
On Thursday, Donald Trump underwent a “comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies,” with the White House Medical Unit. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read a note from the president’s physician, Sean Barbabella.
“I know that many in the media have been speculating about bruising on the president’s hand and also swelling in the president’s legs,” she said Thursday. “So, in the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today.”
In the memorandum, Barbabella stated that Donald Trump had “noted mild swelling in his lower legs.”
“The president underwent a comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies. Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,” the statement read.
Donald Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency
Dr. Sean Barbabella further noted there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, which would be more serious conditions. The president’s lab testing was all “within normal limits.”
He also underwent an echocardiogram and there were “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified,” Barbabella wrote.
On June 9, an image of Donald Trump attending an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event went viral online, and several posts on X, Facebook, and TikTok questioned whether the president was wearing a catheter under his suit.
The picture shows fighter Kayla Harrison, who had just won the UFC women’s bantamweight championship, putting her belt around Trump’s waist.
One post stated, “Trump appears to wearing leg braces and possibly a catheter. The weakness on his right side has been pretty evident for a number of years. And the bruising on his right hand might be caused from his receiving infusion therapy of some sort. Common with a Parkinson’s type disease,”
Another said, “Trump is absolutely wearing a Foley catheter. It’s a tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine into a bag strapped to the leg. That line down his pants? Not a crease. It’s tubing. Every step he takes sounds like the sloshing of a warm Capri Sun.”
The post went viral. Some defended Trump, stating that it wasn’t a catheter at all.
“No it isn’t. That pant leg is close fitting and that perfectly straight line is a crease. Foley catheters are absolutely not standard of care except post procedure. A walkie talkie patient gets self-cath or male pads,” one post read.
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