Donald Trump’s mockery of Joe Biden’s legs came full circle Thursday, when it was revealed that the 79-year-old president had been examined for his swollen ankles.
The White House medical unit evaluated Trump after he noticed “mild swelling in his lower legs,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed at her daily briefing.
Just two years ago, Trump ridiculed then-President Joe Biden, who was 80 years old at the time, over the look of his legs.
“You watch him and it looks like he’s walking on toothpicks,” Trump said in an August 2023 interview with Tucker Carlson. He had apparently zeroed in on his rival’s lower limbs from photos taken while Biden was vacationing at a beach.
“I think he looks terrible on the beach. He can’t walk through the sand,” Trump told Carlson.
Even at the time, Trump’s comments about Biden’s body were thoroughly lampooned online, as reported by The Independent, with many pointing out that Trump himself was hardly known for having a healthy physique.
Trump’s “toothpick” jab was meant to cast doubt on Biden’s fitness for office, but those questions have now swung back onto him.
In January, Trump became the oldest president to be sworn into office. He will be 82 years old, well past retirement age, when he leaves office in early 2029.
Thursday’s revelation, and a recurring bruise on Trump’s right hand, have raised fresh concerns about the baby boomer’s health.
Leavitt said that after the “comprehensive examination,” Trump was diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), calling it a “benign and common condition.”
CVI occurs when veins in a person’s legs are damaged, making it more difficult for blood to flow properly and return to the heart. This can cause blood to pool in the lower extremities, leading to swelling like the kind seen in Trump’s ankles.
The Cleveland Clinic states it may cause mild symptoms at first but could interfere with a person’s quality of life over time and “lead to serious complications.”
In a memo released Thursday, Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella, attributed the bruising to “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regime.”
