Talking about a president's health is always a bit of a minefield. Especially when it’s Donald Trump. Honestly, the information we have is usually a mix of very formal White House memos, tweets, and a few "wait, what?" moments from his doctors. If you’ve been scrolling through social media, you’ve probably seen everything from wild theories about his gait to claims that he’s the healthiest person to ever breathe air.
But let’s look at the actual medical paper trail.
Basically, when you strip away the political noise, there are specific, documented conditions that doctors have actually put on paper. Some are boring, like high cholesterol. Others, like his bout with COVID-19 or a more recent diagnosis involving his legs, had people glued to the news.
The 2025 Diagnosis: Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)
Just recently, in July 2025, the White House actually confirmed something new. It turns out Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI.
If that sounds like medical jargon, think of it this way: the valves in your leg veins are supposed to keep blood moving up toward your heart. When you have CVI, those valves get a bit lazy or damaged. Instead of flowing up, blood pools in the legs.
It causes swelling. It feels heavy. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned he noticed some "mild" swelling in his lower leg, which led to the checkup. For a guy who spends a lot of time on his feet at rallies or walking golf courses, this isn't exactly shocking for someone in their late 70s.
Doctors usually suggest compression socks for this. You might even see him elevating his legs more often. It’s not life-threatening, but it’s a real, nagging health reality that he’s managing right now.
What Happened With That "Gunshot Wound" in 2024?
We can't talk about his recent medical history without mentioning July 13, 2024. That was the day of the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
For days, there was a lot of back-and-forth. Was it a bullet? Was it shrapnel from a teleprompter? FBI Director Christopher Wray even caught heat for suggesting it might have been shrapnel during a House hearing.
However, the official word from his physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, was definitive. He described a 2 cm-wide gunshot wound on the upper part of Trump's right ear. Jackson noted significant bleeding and "marked swelling."
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It healed. A year later, plastic surgeons looking at photos noted some "bumpiness" and a slight depression where the tissue was lost. But remarkably, the ear looks mostly normal from a distance. No stitches were even required at the time because the wound was "blunt," but it definitely left its mark.
The COVID-19 Crisis at Walter Reed
Remember October 2020? That was probably the most "real" medical drama of his first term.
Trump didn’t just have a "slight cold," though that’s how it started. He was eventually airlifted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. This wasn't just a precaution. His blood oxygen levels had dropped, and he was given some pretty heavy-duty stuff.
- Dexamethasone: A powerful steroid usually reserved for serious cases.
- Remdesivir: An antiviral.
- Regeneron’s monoclonal antibodies: This was experimental at the time.
The use of dexamethasone was the big tell. Medical experts pointed out that you don't typically give steroids to someone with a "mild" case because it can mess with your immune response if given too early. It suggested he was sicker than the initial press briefings let on.
Cholesterol and the "Perfect" Cognitive Test
For years, the most consistent thing in Trump’s medical reports was hypercholesterolemia. That’s just a fancy way of saying high cholesterol. He takes Rosuvastatin (Crestor) to keep it in check.
His latest 2025 physical showed his numbers are actually looking pretty good—LDL at 51 mg/dL is actually quite low. He’s also known to take a low-dose aspirin for heart health, which is standard for men his age.
Then there’s the famous cognitive test.
Back in 2018, Trump took the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). He famously touted his "30 out of 30" score. People made fun of the "person, woman, man, camera, TV" line, but the test is a legitimate tool. It’s designed to catch early signs of dementia or Alzheimer's.
Scoring a 30 means that, at least back then, there was no evidence of cognitive impairment. He reportedly aced it again in early 2025, according to a memo from the White House physician, though critics often argue these tests are too "basic" to measure high-level executive function.
Skin Health and Other "Minor" Issues
If you look at the fine print of his medical releases, there are a few other recurring diagnoses:
- Rosacea: This is why his skin often looks flushed or red. It’s a common chronic inflammatory skin condition.
- Actinic Keratosis: These are rough, scaly patches on the skin caused by years of sun exposure (likely all that golf). They are precancerous, so doctors usually freeze them off or monitor them closely.
- Diverticulosis: A 2024 colonoscopy found this, along with a benign polyp. It just means there are small pouches in the lining of the colon. Super common as people age.
The Reality of His Current Fitness
So, where does that leave us?
According to the latest memorandum from the White House Physician in April 2025, the official stance is that Trump is "fully fit" for office. He weighs about 224 pounds, which is down from previous years. His blood pressure is sitting at 128/74, which is remarkably stable for a 79-year-old.
There’s always going to be a gap between what a politician’s doctor says and what the public sees on TV. But the recorded diagnoses—CVI, high cholesterol, rosacea, and the history of COVID-19—give us a clearer picture than the headlines usually do.
Actionable Health Insights for Seniors
If you're looking at these diagnoses and seeing similarities to your own life or a family member's, here’s what you can actually do:
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- Watch for Leg Swelling: If you notice your shoes feel tighter at the end of the day, talk to a doctor about Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Early use of compression stockings can prevent skin ulcers later.
- Prioritize Cognitive Baselines: Even if you feel sharp, taking a MoCA or Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) in your 70s provides a "baseline." If things change later, your doctor has something to compare it to.
- Manage Cholesterol Proactively: Trump’s low LDL levels show that even with a diet famous for fast food, modern statins (like Rosuvastatin) are incredibly effective at reducing cardiac risk.
- Skin Checks are Non-Negotiable: Actinic keratosis is easily treated if caught early. If you’ve spent a lifetime outdoors, get a full-body skin exam once a year.
The medical history of a president is a public record, but it's also a reminder that aging comes with a specific set of maintenance requirements. Whether it's managing vein health or keeping tabs on skin damage, staying on top of the "boring" stuff is usually what keeps the "big" stuff at bay.