White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has issued an official response to online theories regarding the health of United States president, Donald Trump.
Whilst making a somewhat unexpected appearance at the Club World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday (13 Jul), the 79-year-old politician set tongues wagging for a number of reasons.
As well as blindsiding winners Chelsea FC with his controversial trophy-hogging antics, he sparked concern over his wellbeing, after being photographed with swollen ankles.
In photos of Trump sitting beside wife Melania in the stands that later went viral online, the lower segments of both of his legs appeared somewhat enlarged.
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The images also sparked curiosity from some social media users, who questioned how exactly the Republican had been able to cram his seemingly bloated feet into his shoes.
"Trump’s ankles — VERY swollen. People are talking. Doctors? Silent. Media? Going CRAZY," one concerned user noted. "Could be nothing… could be something BIG. He says he’s strong as ever, but those ankles look like they’ve been through a LOT. Not great. Not great at all."
Another wrote on X: "If he put his shoes on when he first got up or shortly after, they may have fit okay then. But once up and walking around, his ankles became more swollen. I will say it’s not that unusual in elderly folks.
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"He’ll probably have shoe-shaped indents when he takes his shoes off."
Leavitt has now confirmed that the reason behind Trump's swollen ankles is because he has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a blood circulation issue.
She made the surprise statement while addressing speculation about recent bruising on Trump’s hands, which she said was assessed to be 'minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin' as a preventative heart-health measure.
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"In the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today," Leavitt continued.
She went on: "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 common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70."
Leavitt resolved: "Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease … 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."
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It comes just days after the president stepped out in public sporting a rather peculiar-looking bruise on his hand - a contusion which had caused a similar stir before.
After being photographed boarding Marine One at the White House on Tuesday (15 Jul) on his way to Pittsburgh, an X user zoomed in to show what appeared to be make-up piled just below his pointing and middle fingers.
Some theorists suggested the concealer had been used to cover up a bruise from an IV, whilst others put it down to the politician pushing 80 years old.
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Some of the suggestions became so wild, however, that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was forced to address the bruise, telling The Daily Beast it had been caused by constant hand-shaking.
"President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history," she claimed. "His commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day."
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, Health, Twitter
Rhianna Benson