The White House on Thursday confirmed that what appears to be a recurring bruise on Trump’s hand is indeed the result of a medical condition.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during her regular briefing that after a “thorough evaluation,” the president has been found to have “chronic venous insufficiency,” which she stressed was “a benign and common condition,” especially in people over the age of 70.
In addition to bruising, Leavitt said Trump also has experienced swelling in his lower legs.
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
She added that Trump, 79, shows no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, and that an echocardiogram showed “no signs of heart failure.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, the underlying cause of the disease is typically malfunctioning venous valves, which can cause blood to pool the extremities.
The White House also released a copy of the memorandum describing Trump’s diagnosis in more detail Thursday afternoon:
White House Office Of Communications
The explanation is far more satisfactory than previous attempts to address the obvious bruise.
In February, the White House claimed Trump’s hand is bruised because he’s “a man of the people” and is “shaking hands all day, every day.”
Trump’s medical history is a bit of a mystery. While he released his medical records in 2015 before his first term in office, he didn’t during the 2024 election, despite promising to do so.
When then-Vice President Kamala Harris released medical records showing she was in excellent health, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) accused the Harris campaign of engaging in “diversion” tactics.
