how alarming is trump's vein condition? here's what the white house said about his diagnosis
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(clockwise from top right) trump speaks to reporters on june 24, 2025 in washington, dc. discolouration seen on trump's hand in washington, dc, on july 16, 2025. the swollen foot of trump pictured on july 16, 2025, in washington.
chip somodevilla/getty images / ap photo/alex brandon / andrew caballero-reynolds /afp via getty images
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donald trump, 79, has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after he was examined for swelling in his lower legs, white house press secretary karoline leavitt said thursday, july 17. although the swelling was “mild,” the condition caused blood to pool in the u.s. president’s legs.
leavitt addressed trump’s condition at a press conference briefly, calling it “benign” and common in people over the age of 70. she added that there is no evidence of trump’s condition being serious or life-threatening, as confirmed by further and “comprehensive” tests. the tests revealed there is no evidence trump has deep vein thrombosis, a serious medical condition where blood clots form in the veins, usually the legs.
here’s what we know about trump’s medical condition, how it is treated and what the letter from trump’s doctor says.
what is chronic venous insufficiency, the symptoms and how is it treated?
blood is normally pumped all over the body. veins in the body then take the blood insufficient in oxygen back to the heart to refuel. in some cases, veins aren’t able to carry out that function properly and as a result the blood pools in the legs. cleveland clinic notes that “this increases pressure in the leg veins and causes symptoms like swelling.” this condition is known as chronic venous insufficiency.
other than blood pooling around the legs, symptoms for this condition include legs that are achy or tingly. the condition, if severe, can also lead to ulcers.
leavitt said the condition hasn’t caused trump any discomfort.
the academic centre based in cleveland encourages lifestyle changes as the first method of treatment for this condition.
lifestyle changes, per cleveland clinic, may include walking as a form of exercise, losing weight and elevating legs periodically. leavitt didn’t reveal how the president was treating the condition.
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“if these measures aren’t enough, your provider may recommend a procedure or surgery. the best treatment for you depends on how far your condition has progressed and other medical conditions you have,” according to cleveland clinic.
what did the white house physician’s letter say?
the letter by trump’s doctor explained that the diagnosis came after trump underwent a comprehensive examination as the president noted mild swelling his legs. results for other tests “were within normal limits,” physician capt. sean barbabella wrote. “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified,” the letter continued.
barbabella also addressed the recent photos of trump that showed the president with minor bruising on his hand.
“this is 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,” barbabella wrote. “this is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy.”
in summary, the letter addressed to leavitt concluded, “president trump remains in excellent health.”
read the full letter here:
physician to the president
the white house
the white house
memorandum
july 17, 2025
july 17, 2025
to: karoline leavitt, white house press secretary
from: sean p. barbabella, d.o.
physician to the president
captain, u.s. navy
from: sean p. barbabella, d.o.
physician to the president
captain, u.s. navy
subject: president donald j. trump’s health status update
in recent weeks, president trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs. in keeping with routine medical care and out of an abundance of caution, this concern was thoroughly evaluated by the white house medical unit.
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. importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (dvt) or arterial disease.
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laboratory testing included a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, coagulation profile, d-dimer, b-type natriuretic peptide, and cardiac biomarkers. all results were within normal limits. an echocardiogram was also performed and confirmed normal cardiac structure and function. no signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified.
additionally, recent photos of the president have shown minor bruising on the back of his hand. this is 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. this is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy.
summary: president trump remains in excellent health.
this article was originally published in the national post on july 18, 2025.
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