US President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with a long-term but benign vein condition, the White House said Thursday, following speculation about his heavily bruised hand and swollen legs.
The 79-year-old was found to have “chronic venous insufficiency” after he “noted mild swelling in his lower legs” in recent weeks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt said the widely noted discoloration on Trump’s right hand resulted from “frequent handshaking” and the use of aspirin in a “standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”
Trump became the oldest person in US history to assume the presidency when he began his second term this January, replacing Democrat Joe Biden, who was 82 when he left office.
The Republican frequently boasts of his energy levels and regularly plays golf, while the administration recently even posted an image depicting him as Superman.
In April, Trump said after undergoing a routine medical check-up that he was in “very good shape.”
But Leavitt’s revelations follow viral online discussions about the president’s visibly swollen ankles, seen in particular at the recent FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey, and his discolored right hand.
Leavitt said Trump had asked her to share a note from his physician about the diagnosis “in the effort of transparency.”
She said he had undergone “a comprehensive examination” and ultrasound tests, which revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
The condition involves damaged leg veins that fail to keep blood flowing properly.