Trump gets official diagnosis

The 79-year-old American president had reported swelling in his lower legs.

Donald Trump is suffering from "chronic venous insufficiency", the White House has announced. "Extensive" examinations revealed this circulatory problem, which results from the venous valves becoming less effective at pumping blood back to the heart. This leads to an accumulation of blood in the lower limbs, which can then swell. It can also lead to varicose veins and skin problems around the ankles.

A person suffering from venous insufficiency who does not take the necessary treatment risks suffering from venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.

The condition is "benign and common, particularly in individuals over 70", said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. She reported that no indication of "deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease" was detected in the president.

On Thursday, the president's physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, said in a note that "President Trump remains in excellent health."

Matt Heinz, an internal medicine specialist in Tucson, Arizona, confirmed to AFP that chronic venous insufficiency is indeed a "fairly common" condition, especially in the elderly. It affects around 1 in 20 adults, usually over the age of 50, reports NBC News.

Chronic venous insufficiency can be caused by aging, obesity or inactivity, says Dr. Heinz.

Earlier this week, photos showing bruises on Donald Trump's hands were captured during his meeting with Bahrain's Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. These lesions, covered in foundation, created a wave of speculation on social networks around a possible health problem for the Republican.

In response to these rumors, Karoline Levitt explained that the president's bruises are caused by frequent handshaking and his taking aspirin as part of a standard cardiovascular preventive regimen.

In January, Trump began his second term at the age of 78 years and seven months, becoming the oldest president in U.S. history to take office.

The Republican billionaire often boasts about his energy levels, and his team even recently published an image depicting him as Superman.

Donald Trump regularly accuses his predecessor administration, Joe Biden, of seeking to mask the decline of the Democratic president, who left office at 81.

Biden had belatedly withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race amid concerns about his health after his shaky performance in a debate against Mr. Trump.

In May, the last Democrat president was diagnosed with prostate cancer.