President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common and non-life-threatening vein condition, after he experienced noticeable swelling in his legs, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday.
The president underwent a comprehensive medical evaluation after observing mild swelling, particularly in his ankles.
Photos taken over the weekend at the Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, sparked public speculation when they showed visible swelling around Trump’s lower legs.
Karoline Leavitt addresses speculation about President Trump’s bruised hand and swollen anklespic.twitter.com/gkqpypUwUW
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Speaking at the White House briefing, Leavitt read from a letter written by the president’s physician. The letter confirmed that the swelling is the result of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) — a condition in which leg veins have difficulty pushing blood back up toward the heart.
This results in blood pooling in the lower extremities and can cause swelling, discomfort, and skin discoloration. The condition is considered benign and is extremely common in adults over the age of 70.
Leavitt emphasized that there was no sign of more serious issues, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or arterial disease, both of which