A medical professor has suggested that President Donald Trump may have suffered a stroke in 2025, citing visible symptoms and behavioral shifts. The White House firmly rejects the claim, calling it baseless and politically motivated.
Professor Bruce Davidson of Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine made the remarks on the podcast The Court of History, hosted by Sidney Blumenthal and Sean Wilentz. Davidson speculated that the stroke may have occurred in the left hemisphere of Trump’s brain about six months earlier.
“I think his stroke was on the left side of the brain, which controls the right side of the body,” Davidson said on the podcast, noting several apparent shifts in Trump’s physical presentation that he believes support this theory.
Davidson cited video showing Trump shuffling his feet—contrasting with older clips of him striding on golf courses—as well as moments where Trump held his right hand with his left and episodes of slurred speech earlier in 2025. He acknowledged Trump’s speech appears more stable now.
He also mentioned what he interpreted as excessive daytime sleepiness, or hypersomnolence, a condition sometimes seen in stroke patients. Trump has occasionally seemed to doze during public events, including at the White House. Davidson further pointed to footage of Trump descending Air Force One while gripping the railing with his left hand—unusual for someone who is right-handed—as another possible sign of a left-brain stroke.
Although Davidson did not specify the type of stroke he believes may have occurred, he asserted that if his assessment is accurate, Trump has shown substantial recovery.
These remarks add to prolonged public debate about Trump’s health. The president has frequently appeared with noticeable bruising on his hands, which he has at times concealed with makeup. In July 2025, the White House confirmed that Trump has chronic venous insufficiency, causing swelling in his lower legs. To address this, Trump wears compression socks and has admitted to taking more aspirin than his doctors advise.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal in January 2026, Trump discussed several health matters, including his aspirin use for heart health. He also clarified reports about advanced imaging following his annual physical, stating he underwent a CT scan—not an MRI—to evaluate potential cardiovascular issues. Dr. Sean Barbabella said the scan did not show abnormalities.
Trump said he regretted having the advanced imaging done because it triggered new speculation. The evaluation occurred in October 2025 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, with an October 10 note confirming the follow-up but giving few details.
Another moment that drew attention came on September 11, 2025, when Trump appeared with one side of his face looking droopy. Social media users questioned whether this indicated a stroke, although no diagnosis was made. Facial drooping can occur when blood flow to part of the brain is disrupted.
Davidson also proposed that Trump’s conduct during his second term might reflect post-stroke behavioral changes. He noted that strokes are serious and can lead to varied emotional responses, from gratitude to heightened risk-taking.
“Some people respond with humility and gratitude. Others become euphoric—’I was at the cliff of death, and now I’m back,'” Davidson said. “And some think, ‘That was my chance to die, and I didn’t—so now I’m going to do everything I wanted to do because the next one may be fatal.'”
The White House forcefully rejected Davidson’s comments. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is in excellent health and dismissed the claims as politically driven smears. She referred to these speculations as “absolute nonsense” and called Davidson a left-wing extremist.
Leavitt emphasized Trump’s stamina and public engagement, contrasting it with the health scrutiny faced by former President Joe Biden. She accused the media of spreading false narratives at a time of historic distrust in journalism.
Questions about the health of aging politicians are common in U.S. politics. Biden left office at 82 years and seven months, facing persistent doubts about his fitness. If Trump finishes his current term, he will reach the same age, becoming the oldest president in American history.
Trump’s hand bruising first attracted widespread notice in February 2025, when discoloration on his right hand showed through makeup during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. Leavitt attributed the marks to Trump’s frequent handshakes and daily aspirin use, calling him a man of the people who greets more Americans than any previous president.
As questions persisted months later, Barbabella explained in a July briefing that the bruises were consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking combined with aspirin, which is part of a standard cardiac prevention plan.
Despite official explanations, scrutiny of Trump’s health continues. The limited medical disclosures and conflicting statements about imaging procedures have fueled continued speculation. Confusion over whether he initially had an MRI or CT scan raised additional concerns about transparency.
Davidson’s remarks—although speculative and made without access to Trump’s medical records—add to ongoing public discussion of Trump’s health throughout his second term. Visible symptoms such as hand bruising, ankle swelling, and apparent fatigue have been noted by several news outlets.
Chronic venous insufficiency happens when leg veins fail to return blood effectively to the heart, leading to swelling and discomfort. While usually not dangerous, it is more common among older adults and can signal broader cardiovascular conditions if untreated.
Trump’s admission that he exceeds recommended aspirin doses also raises concerns. Though low-dose aspirin is widely used for heart health, overuse can increase bleeding and bruising, possibly explaining marks that have drawn public attention.
The latest health-related development occurred on March 2, 2026, when photographers captured a prominent red rash extending from behind Trump’s right ear down his neck during a Medal of Honor ceremony. Images show the irritation first appearing around February 13, becoming noticeable by February 18 during a Black History Month event, and intensifying through the State of the Union on February 24 and a Texas rally on February 27. Dr. Barbabella said the rash was due to a prescribed “preventative skin treatment” cream and was expected to persist for several weeks, though some medical professionals questioned the lack of detail about the underlying condition.
Some observers suggested it might be a reaction to an anti–skin cancer medication like Fluorouracil, known as 5-FU.
As Trump nears his 80th birthday in June, each new visible symptom continues to spark debate—one the White House has not addressed with full transparency.