The White House disclosed Thursday that Donald Trump has a chronic condition that leads to swelling in his ankles and finally addressed mysterious bruising and makeup that has appeared on the president’s hand.
In a surprise statement from the podium during a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the president was checked out by his doctor after noticeable ‘swelling’ and revealed that Trump has been diagnosed with ‘chronic venous insufficiency.’
Earlier this week, Trump, 79, appeared at a White House press gaggle with what looked like makeup covering a patch on the back of his hand, sparking concerns.
The splotch has been visible on other occasions throughout the week, sparking a new round of questions about the cause.
The makeup appeared to be concealing a raised circular area of skin.
Leavitt said during her rare medical update that the president recently ‘noticed mild swelling in the lower legs’ and ‘in keeping with routine medical care and out of the abundance of caution,’ he was evaluated by the White House medical unit.
He underwent a ‘comprehensive examination’ which included ‘diagnostic vascular studies.’
‘Bilateral, lower extremity ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency,’ Leavitt stated.
She said it’s a ‘common condition’ in individuals over the age of 70 and there was ‘no evidence’ of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.
She also addressed the ‘minor bruising’ on the back of Trump’s hand.
‘This is consistent with minor soft-tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen. This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy.’
‘The president remains in excellent health,’ Leavitt continued.
‘Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease,’ she added.
Leavitt said in response to a question that there was ‘no discomfort from the president at all.’
She then pointed to his daily activities. ‘And you probably all see that on a day-to-day basis, he’s working around the clock. As for the treatment, I can defer to the president’s physician,’ she said.
The letter released by White House Physician Sean Barbarella, DO, references ‘mild swelling’ in Trump’s lower legs, and states the diagnosis emerged after a series of vascular studies.
Neither Leavitt nor the letter addressed whether Trump would have to modify any of his routines, which include frequent golfing at his private courses on weekends, and his trademark dance moves to ‘Y.M.C.A.’ when he addresses rally crowds.
Leavitt said there was ‘no discomfort’ for the president at all.
Officials have previously mentioned Trump’s frequent handshaking – Trump regularly interacts with a large number of people at White House events and when he travels – as the cause of the bruising, but have not previously identified the aspirin issue.
The Daily Mail first reported on Trump’s mysterious hand bruising back in February, revealing that Trump’s glad-handing had brought on the result.
That account tracked the bruising from the presidential campaign through his return to the White House. It had even been spotted during Trump’s Manhattan court fight in the Stormy Daniels case.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, chronic venous insufficiency occurs when leg veins are damaged, making it more difficult for blood to return to the heart.
It ‘causes blood to pool in your leg veins, leading to high pressure in those veins.’
The condition is fairly common, affecting one in 20 adults, and the risk increases with age. It can lead to achy legs, a feeling of ‘pins and needles,’ cramping, swelling and itching, as well as ‘Leathery-looking skin on your legs.’
Up to half the people who have had deep vein thrombosis later develop post-thrombotic syndrome within a year or two. That relates to scar tissue that can develop after a blood clot.
Trump was the oldest person to take the Oath of Office when he was sworn in in January at age 78.
He has said repeatedly that his predecessor Joe Biden, 82, had no idea what he was doing and this week opened a probe into an alleged ‘cover-up’ through his use of an autopen for a series of commutations.
Trump reposted an item in May calling Biden a ‘decrepit corpse,’ days after Biden got a prostate cancer diagnosis.
Trump has made a point of demonstrating his own physical and mental vigor – taking question after question from reporters inside the Oval Office, sometimes speaking for up to an hour.
He has taken trips to the Middle East and Canada this term, with plans to visit his Scottish golf courses.
