Donald Trump has made “no changes” to his lifestyle despite being diagnosed with a chronic vein condition, according to the White House. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was questioned during a press briefing about how the 79-year-old president is managing the chronic venous insufficiency he was diagnosed with in July.
She was also asked whether Trump’s doctor would be available to provide further details on his health status. This comes after Trump was spotted with an unexplained mark during a trip to Scotland, just weeks after the diagnosis was revealed.
In response, Ms Leavitt said: “I don’t want to make that commitment on behalf of the physician, but it’s certainly something we can look into and explore out of the effort of transparency, because unlike the previous White House, there is nothing to hide.” (Mirror).
She emphasized that the president remains under constant observation and promised to follow up for additional information. However, when pressed about any treatments or lifestyle changes, she avoided specifics.
“Look, you see the President every day,” Leavitt said. “He’s moving, he’s working. There have been no adjustments made to his lifestyle.”
Earlier in the briefing, reporters brought up Trump’s apparent mix-up over the location of this Friday’s summit with Vladimir Putin. The day before, Trump twice claimed it would be in Russia, when in fact it will be held in Alaska. Leavitt brushed off the blunder, suggesting he may have been referring to a future trip to Russia — though footage clearly showed he was speaking about this week’s meeting.
Last month, Leavitt released a medical letter aimed at addressing concerns over swelling in Trump’s ankles and the visible use of cosmetics on his hand. According to the letter, Trump had experienced “mild swelling” in his lower limbs and was assessed by the White House medical team. Tests revealed “no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease”, though they confirmed he has “chronic venous insufficiency”, a fairly common condition in older adults.
The letter also addressed bruising on Trump’s hand, which had been concealed with makeup. Leavitt said it was “consistent” with irritation caused by “frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”
Ms Leavitt concluded: “The president remains in excellent health.”
Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella, wrote that photos of the bruising were “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.” He explained that aspirin is part of Trump’s “standard cardiovascular prevention regimen”, and the bruising is simply a side effect of that therapy.
