Donald Trump's Health

[Mick West]

There's a lot of speculation going on online about Donald Trump's health, and it flared up yesterday with these two photos.

Source: https://x.com/atrupar/status/1959043306316292399

Trump's hand has appeared bruised, or covered with makeup before

All the way back to February, this year (2025).

His most recent health report:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...cian-to-the-president/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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.

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.

There seems to be a lot of wishful thinking suggesting he's really ill. Bolstered in part by his rambling speeches, suggesting mental decline. The reports of "excellent health" are also a bit of an overstatement, given the above. But it's not that out of the ordinary for a 79-year-old man.

So what's going on? An average-health old man and lots of speculation, or a dangerously sick old man and a cover-up? I'm not seeing any good evidence of the latter.

 

[JMartJr]

Just judging by other old people I've been around, it looks like he's getting an IV in his hand, causing bruising. IF that's right, I can't speculate as to why... but it does seem odd that, if they want to hide it, they wouldn't just stick it someplace else that would not be visible.

I have also seen recent speculation about his health centering on his stance and gait following the summit with Putin, and his rambling walk down the red carpet... which looks more odd when sped up...

 

[FatPhil]

Is there any reason to think it's anything more than just the intersection of liver spots, vanity, and an inability to see how terrible the supposed fix is (aided by being surrounded by sychophants)? I sometimes think he's more colour-blind than even I am, this ticks that box. (UK cross-reference: Arabella Weir in /The Fast Show/ as the "No Offence" pushy salesperson.)

At least he finally ended the war between Aber...baijan and (... ten seconds later ...) Albania, that's all that matters.

EDIT: ^^^ "sycophant". No idea where the 'h' came from. Perhaps I was thinking of another prefix?

 

[Giddierone]

Similar playbook?
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/intelligence-estimates-of-putins-health.13477/#post-316268

 

[Ann K]

Just judging by other old people I've been around, it looks like he's getting an IV in his hand, causing bruising.

Yoo-hoo! Old person over here, and that's exactly what I was thinking, although the same kind of bruising can be the result of difficulty hitting a vein when drawing a blood sample for analysis.

As for the color mis-match, it may have been the right color when he first got out of bed, but if he stood or walked for some time with his hand hanging down blood may pool in his extremities, making them redder. That (and ankle swelling) is what happens when a person's circulation is not good.

 

[Landru]

Yoo-hoo! Old person over here, and that's exactly what I was thinking, although the same kind of bruising can be the result of difficulty hitting a vein when drawing a blood sample for analysis.

As for the color mis-match, it may have been the right color when he first got out of bed, but if he stood or walked for some time with his hand hanging down blood may pool in his extremities, making them redder. That (and ankle swelling) is what happens when a person's circulation is not good.

Yes, and as Mick said, there is no good evidence that Trump is a dangerously sick/old man. That's the point. Too many times on this site (and others) people start putting pieces together (the swollen ankles, discolored hands, etc.) and build a vast theory that is nothing more than a house of cards. Is Trump lying? Could be. He has a history of not telling the truth. Is he lying in this case? There currently is no proof.

 

[JMartJr]

Yoo-hoo! Old person over here

Here too! abut I'm not personally in the "lots of needles" phase...

As for the color mis-match, it may have been the right color when he first got out of bed, but if he stood or walked for some time with his hand hanging down blood may pool in his extremities, making them redder. That (and ankle swelling) is what happens when a person's circulation is not good.

Might also be an issue with makeup applied for lights in the room, which is not the same "color" as TV lights and not the same as natural light outdoors... might not even be the same as lights in the next room. What matches in one light environment may look off in another.

Texture also matters. Real skin is slightly mottled and speckled, especially as we get older. To match that, in theatrical makeup, a little stippling might be needed. I noted an earlier version of the hand makeup on him that looked like plastic (I wondered if it was liquid bandage of some sort), too smooth, uniform and shiny. Sometimes folks, especially men, don't have patience with having good, not noticeable makeup applied... it may take a bit.. As a TV personality, I'd think he would not have that problem, but who knows?

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

Is there any reason to think it's anything more than just the intersection of liver spots, vanity, and an inability to see how terrible the supposed fix is (aided by being surrounded by sychophants)? I sometimes think he's more colour-blind than even I am, this ticks that box. (UK cross-reference: Arabella Weir in /The Fast Show/ as the "No Offence" pushy salesperson.)

At least he finally ended the war between Aber...baijan and (... ten seconds later ...) Albania, that's all that matters.

EDIT: ^^^ "sycophant". No idea where the 'h' came from. Perhaps I was thinking of another prefix?

You might (satirically) appreciate this from the clinical context. The answer to this in most cases is, absolutely not lol.

Someone else linked the Putin example but whenever this happens it's always ambigious unnamed sources confirming it, or alternatively, people without requisite clinical knowledge or experience dictating so based off basic observables and what MayoClinic or ChatGPT says.
My favorite cases with this have been w/ Kadyrov. Most of the points people make with his health are nonsense and in fact the result of Kadyrov living like a quasi-king the past 20 years with plenty of access to quantities and types of food most people in the region do not.

 

[Ann K]

Sometimes folks, especially men, don't have patience with having good, not noticeable makeup applied... it may take a bit.. As a TV personality, I'd think he would not have that problem, but who knows?

"Who knows?" I think we all know. Trump has long been ridiculed for having much-too-orange makeup that stops short of his hairline and ears, and thousands of photographs can attest to that. Presumably on TV he would have had a professional doing his makeup, but personally he is very sloppy about the application, and too vain to go without it.

 

[NoParty]

It seems like there should be a rule that if you're too lazy to even do a decent job applying your orange face paint,
America shouldn't have to pretend that it's the "good genes" you say it is...
good genes that shockingly stop abruptly near your ears, your hairline, and especially between your eyes, more & more these days.
If Celebrity X showed up on a red carpet, tonight, with such a ridiculous look, it would be the talk (& ridicule) of the internet.
But because DJT wears his "hydrating concealer" every day, we're all supposed to pretend it's not absurd.
Small, but yet another example of how we've normalized the completely abnormal times we live in.
[Generally, I think commenting on a person's makeup is a bit petty & beneath us, but given who this is,
and the lying about "good genes" and increasing laziness about making an effort to at least do a decent job presenting the lie...]
ETA: I can't find it at the moment, but I remember that sometime in the last year, Drudge essentially asked if Trump
was moving on from the facepaint, so shoddily was it being applied in consecutive days...
https://bronxcolors.com/products/fa...ting-concealer/?attribute_pa_bhc=orange-bhc06
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brie...-says-trumps-tan-is-the-result-of-good-genes/
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/12/6/20998822/trump-orange-concealer-bronx-colors

 

[Mick West]

https://www.al.com/politics/2025/08...-hand-heres-the-white-houses-explanation.html

[Caption]President Donald Trump meets with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Washington.

President Donald Trump had a visibly black-and-blue bruise on his right hand as he met with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday in the Oval Office.

No concealer this time. Seems to have bruising on both hands. Speculative people point to similarities to the bruise that Queen Elizabeth had on her right hand two days before she died.

 

[deirdre]

if it appeared overnight and isnt from an injury (like smashing your hand into something), its likely from a blood test or iv. my grandmother got those all the time as they couldnt find good veins in her arms so used her hands for tests and iv stuff. sounds counter intuitive that the hand would be easier, i know, that's why i remember it.

add:

Article:

LOCATING THE BEST VEIN The veins in the arm may not be the best site selection because of the difficulty in finding and anchoring these veins as well as possible hematomas from prior venipunctures. Veins in the hand or forearm may be a better choice.

Source: https://www.beaumontlaboratory.com/docs/default-source/specimen-collections-manual/blood/p7855k25_24055_061521_geriatric_phlebotomy_tips.pdf?sfvrsn=598c1856_2

 

[Ann K]

sounds counter intuitive that the hand would be easier, i know

I would think it is possible that the person's weight would be a factor, and heavier arms might make it harder to find a vein there. Can anyone with medical training here clarify that point?

 

[deirdre]

I would think it is possible that the person's weight would be a factor, and heavier arms might make it harder to find a vein there. Can anyone with medical training here clarify that point?

my grandma was a bit roly poly

 

[Ann K]

Another bruising factor, at least for his right hand, is Trump's "get them off balance" trick of shaking a person's hand while pulling them sharply toward him, a maneuver he has done with many heads of state in an apparent attempt to demonstrate dominance. He conspicuously did it again with Putin in Alaska a few days ago. Perhaps he met his match in that not-so-subtle game of arm wrestling.

 

[FatPhil]

Article:

The veins in the arm may not be the best site selection because of the difficulty in finding and anchoring these veins [...]. Veins in the [...] forearm may be a better choice.

Source: https://www.beaumontlaboratory.com/docs/default-source/specimen-collections-manual/blood/p7855k25_24055_061521_geriatric_phlebotomy_tips.pdf?sfvrsn=598c1856_2

Attempts at precision failed successfully.

 

[FatPhil]

Another bruising factor, at least for his right hand, is Trump's "get them off balance" trick of shaking a person's hand while pulling them sharply toward him, a maneuver he has done with many heads of state in an apparent attempt to demonstrate dominance. He conspicuously did it again with Putin in Alaska a few days ago. Perhaps he met his match in that not-so-subtle game of arm wrestling.

The one I saw had him offering the submissive open hand, with Daddy P providing the dominant component of the coupling.

 

[Ann K]

The one I saw had him offering the submissive open hand, with Daddy P providing the dominant component of the coupling.

Putin extending his hand, Trump giving him the "short arm", with his fingers digging into the back of Putin's hand.

This technique was once famously stymied by Justin Trudeau:

There have been many people to meet and greet, and with the eyes of the world watching too. And so it has not gone unnoticed that Trump's handshaking technique is, well, unusual.

The President has a propensity to yank the hand of his unsuspecting victim towards him - sometimes multiple times - vigorously jerk the hand up and down, and often pat it a couple of times with his other hand.

Some people have suggested that Trump's aggressive handshake technique is a way for him to try and exert dominance and authority over the other person involved - he wants to make it clear he's the one in control.

We saw this with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Judge Neil Gorsuch.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, didn't let Trump go down his usual route when they met on Monday - Trudeau put his hand on Trump's upper arm to stop himself being pulled in by the President.

We already know Trump avoids holding his wife's hand because he wants to seem more 'alpha', and body language expert Darren Stanton believes the same is behind his handshaking technique.

"For President Trump, it's all about the assertion of power and control," he told The Independent. "Trump is saying 'this is my space, my time, you are the guest, my house rules apply."

Stanton says Trump's style is called a "bone-crusher handshake" which involves completely engulfing the other person's hand in your own. "Its purpose is to convey power and confidence to the other person, as if to say, 'Hey I'm in charge, don't mess with me.'"

The disregard of personal space is also worth noticing - as Trump pulls the other person into his personal space, Stanton says this is his way of working out whether they're going to be compliant or not.

https://www.the-independent.com/lif...-language-expert-darren-stanton-a7579541.html

For a more humorous take on that encounter, I recommend
https://www.vice.com/en/article/the...hake-between-donald-trump-and-justin-trudeau/

 

[FatPhil]

Stanton says Trump's style is called a "bone-crusher handshake" which involves completely engulfing the other person's hand in your own.

https://www.the-independent.com/lif...-language-expert-darren-stanton-a7579541.html

Engulfing? Has the small-hands narrative been conveniently forgotten? It's the yank that's annoying with this yank:

img link: https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:640/format:webp/1*z6rO069mkhsKZjwNszqrPw.gif


Source: https://twitter.com/TIME/status/867866788578590726

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

The one I saw had him offering the submissive open hand, with Daddy P providing the dominant component of the coupling.

View attachment 83397
Putin extending his hand, Trump giving him the "short arm", with his fingers digging into the back of Putin's hand.

This technique was once famously stymied by Justin Trudeau:

There have been many people to meet and greet, and with the eyes of the world watching too. And so it has not gone unnoticed that Trump's handshaking technique is, well, unusual.

The President has a propensity to yank the hand of his unsuspecting victim towards him - sometimes multiple times - vigorously jerk the hand up and down, and often pat it a couple of times with his other hand.

Some people have suggested that Trump's aggressive handshake technique is a way for him to try and exert dominance and authority over the other person involved - he wants to make it clear he's the one in control.

We saw this with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Judge Neil Gorsuch.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, didn't let Trump go down his usual route when they met on Monday - Trudeau put his hand on Trump's upper arm to stop himself being pulled in by the President.

We already know Trump avoids holding his wife's hand because he wants to seem more 'alpha', and body language expert Darren Stanton believes the same is behind his handshaking technique.

"For President Trump, it's all about the assertion of power and control," he told The Independent. "Trump is saying 'this is my space, my time, you are the guest, my house rules apply."

Stanton says Trump's style is called a "bone-crusher handshake" which involves completely engulfing the other person's hand in your own. "Its purpose is to convey power and confidence to the other person, as if to say, 'Hey I'm in charge, don't mess with me.'"

The disregard of personal space is also worth noticing - as Trump pulls the other person into his personal space, Stanton says this is his way of working out whether they're going to be compliant or not.

https://www.the-independent.com/lif...-language-expert-darren-stanton-a7579541.html

For a more humorous take on that encounter, I recommend
https://www.vice.com/en/article/the...hake-between-donald-trump-and-justin-trudeau/

Depends a bit what we consider from. Both forms here can technically be used for asserting dominance but Trumps is more of a self-centered form. The "proper" form of handshaking to assert dominance differs in every culture, what we're use too is generally a developed root from western European nobility.
What we get with a lot of Americans (others too) though is not learning it through "proper" mediums, so not only does that bump up how often we see the more self-centered form - he's also a corporate executive so that's an audience with more folks who do that in general. Obama as an example did these types of handshakes too. IMO in a deeper level of complexity that could be an interesting blend of the dynamic there where there's not a "proper" medium for learning, but also intermixed with our individualism.

It comes off arrogant anyways if you're not in those circles (a lesson a lot of the corporate execs skip over), although in that context the stretched out arm is a show of respect. You both equally meet to shake hands regardless of who "asserts dominance" with hand positioning. The held-in form basically tells the other person you think lesser of them, they have to "come to you".

Mismatches here are also funny if both parties learned it differently too, the "understanding" there is entirely a cultural understanding. Putin gets/got proper direction on these topics so not the best example, but if we took two random corporate executives who learned it just through observation and/or reading from second hand sources, the debates we have like this could be null since neither acting 'side' views it the same and both register themselves as successfully asserting their dominance.
That's a thing in those circles too once you actually 'know' these things. There is no actual asserting dominance how we speak too it, it's all perception games. In reality you both assert dominance in your own ways, it's about who 'wins' the perception of others - our debates as such are just part of the game.

 

[Mick West]

There were lots of "Trump is Dead" rumours on X yesterday, and still some today. He'd not been seen in public for a few days. But this morning, he went golfing

Article:

President Donald Trump is spending his Labor Day weekend Saturday golfing with two of his grandchildren in Virginia, according to media pool reports.

Trump departed the White House around 8:45 a.m. and arrived at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, about 30 minutes later.

Two of Trump's grandchildren, 18-year-old Kai and 12-year-old Spencer, were also spotted with the president

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/08/30/trump-spotted-golfing-in-virginia-over-labor-day-weekend/85907722007/

Just a few photos, though, and nothing really to assuage concerns about his health.

 

[boguesuser]

Here is the video of it.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s7iA6rbqXk


The flagpole @0:56 was put in this June I believe.

 

[JMartJr]

That's almost counterproductive, if the intent was to show that the President is alive and well. (I am not suggesting he is not, I'm just thinking about managing the public perception, if I was the poor person in charge of that sort of thing in the White House.) The video is from so far back, and the still such as the one Mick posted above are so unclear, a conspiratorial=minded person could easily claim that is obviously not him, its a double, etc.

The effective way to refute "there is something seriously wrong with the President" is to have the President walk over and say "Hi" to the press, and demonstrate he's fine, if he is!

 

[Ann K]

The effective way to refute "there is something seriously wrong with the President" is to have the President walk over and say "Hi" to the press, and demonstrate he's fine, if he is!

If history is any example, he would walk over to the press and begin some rambling monologue that would demonstrate that he is alive, but not that he is "fine".

 

[deirdre]

That's almost counterproductive, if the intent was to show that the President is alive and well.

"Liberals be crazy" seems more in keeping with Trump's personality.

 

[Edward Current]

The effective way to refute "there is something seriously wrong with the President" is to have the President walk over and say "Hi" to the press, and demonstrate he's fine, if he is!

Forgive my cynicism, but I am 95% sure that he's just having fun with the "dead" rumors. If y'all haven't noticed over the past 10 years, he likes for people to be talking about him, especially when the talk isn't about the Epstein Files.

Sometime this week he'll make a speech, and then conservatives will tell each other that liberals are having a "meltdown" because he's still alive, and will tell them to "cry harder" about it. Everything is about owning the libs now. Everything.

(My sisters, the same ones who believe that the assassination attempt was staged, believe he died of a stroke last Thursday and this is being covered up. I tell them that this administration doesn't have the competency to pull off a multi-day coverup of death.)

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

Forgive my cynicism, but I am 95% sure that he's just having fun with the "dead" rumors. If y'all haven't noticed over the past 10 years, he likes for people to be talking about him, especially when the talk isn't about the Epstein Files.

Sometime this week he'll make a speech, and then conservatives will tell each other that liberals are having a "meltdown" because he's still alive, and will tell them to "cry harder" about it. Everything is about owning the libs now. Everything.

(My sisters, the same ones who believe that the assassination attempt was staged, believe he died of a stroke last Thursday and this is being covered up. I tell them that this administration doesn't have the competency to pull off a multi-day coverup of death.)

This is a pretty realistic conclusion to be honest. As much as people throw around "listen to X" it only ever really gets applied if it confirms pre-held beliefs. Trump openly talks all the time about doing/saying things explicitly because he knows media will report on it in a poor way that spurs a bunch of BS.
He then gets to take credit for being factual about media BS because that entire issue is stuck in politically polarized debating, in turn certain left audiences will debate this in a way that is actually inaccurate and they spin that back around to reinforce perceptions amongst their base and middle ground audiences. This part I would say is more his comm team not really a him thought, pretty crafty though.

 

[Dan Burt]

I've gotten that type of bruising on my hand from an IV before as others have posted. Also being on blood thinners (Eliquis 5mg x 2), If I bang the top of my hand on the edge of my desk...etc, I bruise like that. I've been on blood thinners since October of 2000 for Atrial Fibrillation. It's an insurance policy against having a stroke if my heart should go out of rhythm again. Maybe his ticker is giving him fits, it happens.

 

[Landru]

According to wikipedia, his next scheduled public appearance is on the 17th of September.



Until then, I guess we'll occasionally get pictures of him in the distance like he's some form of cryptid.

You did not quote this correctly. The page you linked to is for presidential trips, not appearances.

 

[boguesuser]

Oh. My bad.

I guess I can't read lol.

 

[FatPhil]

You did not quote this correctly. The page you linked to is for presidential trips, not appearances.

We shouldn't have to wait for long:

Tuesday, September 2 2025
[official schedule] 2:00 PM
The President makes an announcement
Oval Office White House Press Pool

-- https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/topic/calendar/

 

[Mick West]

The announcement is apparently " that U.S. Space Command will be located in Alabama [not Colorado]". AP headlines it as "Trump announces", but then in description "President Donald Trump's administration announces ...", which seems a bit odd, like someone else would announce it.

But we can just wait 20 minutes and find out.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8DnGstg2-k

 

[Mick West]

He seems normal.

 

[deirdre]

He seems normal.

that might be the best ive ever seen him. its probably just the lighting and the good color of his suit and tie, but also perhaps a nice cleanse.

 

[boguesuser]

Andres Kudacki captured a photo of the president eating a small blue object at the US opens. (Nitter mirror here)

Very likely a breath mint or similar but some conspiracy subs I follow are running wild with it.

 

[boguesuser]

Andres Kudacki captured a photo of the president eating a small blue object at the US opens. (Nitter mirror here)

Very likely a breath mint or similar but some conspiracy subs I follow are running wild with it.

From a quick search, I reckon it could be warfarin sodium, or Hygroton 50, or the most concerning of all, a small wintergreen altoid.

It does look bit large for the wintergreen altoid though. I don't have a good size reference for the other pills.

Edit: I supposed it's also possible he got bored and popped a Viagra for the hell of it.

 

[JMartJr]

Holding any of the possibilities in your front teeth like that seems odd. Admittedly people do odd stuff all the time, but still...

I guess we are confident it was not added in post?

 

[boguesuser]

Holding any of the possibilities in your front teeth like that seems odd.

I can't be the only person who does that when taking meds...

I guess we are confident it was not added in post?

It could have been. I think a breath mint would be more likely than an edit though.

 

[Ann K]

I think a breath mint would be more likely than an edit though.

It's not a Tic-tac. It's not an Ice Breaker. It's not a Life Saver. It's not an Altoid. It's not an Eclipse.

That's my stash exhausted...

 

[Ann K]

I am not a Trump fan by far, and also not an American. But this is getting insanely ridiculous. In one thread you're are killing anyone who is even remotely conspiracy minded and in the same breath this thread is here which is basically just feeding the conspiracy theories.

I hope you don't think we are all taking this particular question too seriously. On the other hand, the distinct possibility of a regime change due to Trump's illness or death is something which looms over an already-unstable national and world economy, so yes, we consider it fair game to discuss.