Talks about Donald Trump’s health have been swirling for months, but his own words are now driving the conversation even further.
At 79, the president has confirmed several physical issues while also brushing off any suggestion that age is catching up to him. The result is a growing gap between what he admits and how he frames it.
In a recent interview, Trump acknowledged that he has been dealing with swelling in his ankles. He said doctors advised him to wear medical compression socks to manage the problem.
He tried them briefly.
“I didn’t like them,” Trump said, explaining why he stopped wearing the socks despite medical advice.
Doctors had diagnosed him with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that makes it harder for blood to travel from the legs back to the heart and is common in older adults. Trump visited Walter Reed Hospital after noticing the swelling.
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Rather than rely on the socks, Trump said he is now trying to stand up more and walk around during the day.
Exercise, however, remains limited.
“To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people do, that’s not for me,” he said.
Another detail from the interview drew even more attention.
Trump admitted he takes a large daily dose of aspirin, far higher than what doctors usually recommend. His doctors have encouraged him to switch to a lower dose, but he has refused.
“They’d rather have me take the smaller one,” Trump said. “I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.”
He explained why he refuses to change.
“I’m a little superstitious,” he said.
Trump also offered his own reasoning for sticking with the higher dose.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart. I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
Those bruises have not gone unnoticed.
Trump confirmed that he uses makeup on his hands to cover them before public appearances.
“I have makeup that’s, you know, easy to put on, takes about 10 seconds,” he said.
His fragile skin became a talking point after a reported incident at the Republican National Convention. He confirmed that Attorney General Pam Bondi accidentally cut his hand during a high five.
“The ring hit the back of my hand, and, yes, there was a slight little cut,” Trump said.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
