Photos of President Donald Trump at LIV Golf New York in Bedminster on August 8 showed visible bruising and marks on his forearm, prompting a new round of online health speculation.
Trump has previously faced scrutiny over recurring hand bruising and lower-leg swelling. His physician has attributed the hand bruising to frequent handshaking combined with aspirin use, while the leg swelling was diagnosed separately as chronic venous insufficiency.
The latest Bedminster photos do not establish the medical cause of the forearm marks. The most recent White House physical, released in May 2026, described Trump as being in excellent health while noting continued benign hand bruising and improving lower-leg swelling.
A tense weekend at Bedminster
Donald Trump spent Saturday at Trump National Bedminster attending the LIV Golf New York tournament held on his own property. Cameras caught something that quickly overshadowed the sport and sent commentators searching for fresh answers.
The 80-year-old president wore his usual white polo shirt, but this time his forearms were fully visible. Photographers noticed bruising and small marks across his skin while he rested inside a golf cart.
Reports described him slouching low in the cart rather than walking the course on foot like many golfers usually do. The image spread rapidly online within hours, drawing fresh comparisons to earlier worrying moments online.
Bruises and band aids spark questions
Band Aids covered two fingers on his right hand as he rested it casually on his bent knee that afternoon. Observers said the fresh bruising looked heavier than the marks previously spotted on his hands.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt has previously explained similar bruising as a result of frequent handshaking combined with routine aspirin use. Critics questioned whether that older explanation fully accounted for this newer, more visible pattern.
The photo set off another round of speculation across social platforms, where users quickly compared images side by side. Some called it normal aging, while others insisted something serious was quietly being downplayed by aides.
A secret NATO flight adds another layer of scrutiny
A separate report published this week has put another of Trump’s recent trips under scrutiny. The Washington Post reported that Trump secretly left the July NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, aboard an alternate U.S. military aircraft because of concerns about an Iranian assassination threat.
According to the report, Trump was transferred to a smaller Air Force C-32A while journalists in the White House press pool traveled aboard the older Air Force One under the impression that the president was also on that aircraft. The operation was designed to conceal Trump’s actual travel arrangements for security reasons.
The episode is unrelated to the bruising photographed at Bedminster and does not provide evidence about Trump’s health. However, its disclosure has added to the unusually intense public attention surrounding the president’s movements and security.
The diagnosis behind the leg swelling
In July 2025, White House physician Sean Barbabella reported that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after mild swelling was observed in his lower legs.
The evaluation included bilateral lower-extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds and laboratory testing. Barbabella reported no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, while an echocardiogram showed normal cardiac structure and function.
Barbabella described chronic venous insufficiency as a benign and common condition, particularly among people over 70. Trump’s May 2026 physical later reported that his lower-leg swelling had improved and again described him as being in excellent health.
Understanding the chronic vein condition
Chronic venous insufficiency develops when leg veins struggle badly to push blood back toward the heart properly and steadily. Damaged valves allow blood to pool lower in the legs, causing the visible swelling many notice.
The condition is far more common than recent headlines might suggest, affecting roughly 1 in 20 adults nationwide today. Age plays a major role, and most cases remain manageable without ever becoming dangerous.
Left untreated, it can occasionally progress toward more serious complications like ulcers or clotting over the years, slowly. Fortunately, doctors say that early detection, combined with simple lifestyle changes, usually keeps the condition well under control.
Little-known fact: Golf carts were created in the early 1930s primarily to help people with mobility limitations and physical disabilities enjoy the game.
Trump’s golf schedule draws attention
Trump has continued to spend significant time at golf properties during his second term. Independent trackers using public schedules currently identify golf activity on roughly 22% of the days since he returned to office, although totals vary slightly depending on how individual visits and rounds are counted.
That figure measures the number of days on which golf activity was recorded, not the percentage of Trump’s total working hours spent playing golf. His frequent visits to his own golf properties have nevertheless remained a recurring subject of political and media attention.
Little-known fact: Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, sits on the former estate of John DeLorean, the car maker behind the iconic DeLorean from Back to the Future.
Social media reacts once again
Trump’s health has generated repeated waves of online speculation. In late August 2025, several days without scheduled public events triggered false rumors about his health and whereabouts before he returned to public view and dismissed the claims.
Visible hand bruising and lower-leg swelling have also repeatedly attracted attention. The White House has addressed those issues through medical statements, including the diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency and an explanation for recurring hand bruising.
What doctors say about the condition
Medical specialists describe chronic venous insufficiency as a common condition, particularly among older adults. Evaluation is important because doctors must rule out other causes of leg swelling, including blood clots and heart or kidney problems.
Treatment commonly begins with measures that improve circulation and reduce swelling, including compression stockings, leg elevation, regular exercise and weight management.
Some patients with more advanced or persistent disease may need medications or procedures. Treatment, therefore, depends on symptoms and severity rather than following a rule that surgery is used only in the most severe cases.
TL;DR
- Photos from Trump’s August 8 appearance at LIV Golf New York showed visible bruising and marks on his forearm, renewing online health speculation.
- Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency in July 2025 after doctors evaluated swelling in his lower legs.
- His latest White House physical described him as being in excellent health, with improving lower-leg swelling and benign hand bruising associated with frequent handshaking and aspirin use.
- The new forearm marks have not been given a separate public medical diagnosis in the records reviewed.
- Independent trackers currently record golf activity on roughly 22% of the days in Trump’s second term, although methodologies vary.
- Chronic venous insufficiency is common and can often be managed with measures including compression therapy, exercise, and leg elevation.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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