On Monday, March 2, 2026, President Donald Trump prompted renewed concern about his health after photographers captured a red, scabbed-over rash on the right side of his neck during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House.
The 79-year-old president’s unexplained skin issue, which was noticeable during his Feb. 24 State of the Union address, has revived questions about his overall fitness. The irritation stretched from beneath his jaw to the side of his neck, with scabbing visible near his ear. Earlier photos from a Feb. 19 Board of Peace meeting also revealed initial redness.
Trump’s doctor, Dr. Sean Barbabella, issued a carefully phrased statement that left many uncertainties. “President Trump is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative skin treatment, prescribed by the White House Doctor,” Barbabella told The Daily Beast.
The White House declined to clarify what the cream is meant to prevent, creating further skepticism among medical professionals. Critics questioned why the president would display such prominent symptoms if the treatment were purely preventative. In Trump’s April 2025 physical exam, Barbabella noted he used mometasone cream “as needed” for an unspecified skin condition.
The lack of detail sparked wide speculation online. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office shared a photo of Trump’s neck with a string of eye emojis. Some commenters suggested the rash might be tied to Fluorouracil, an anti–skin cancer medication commonly referred to as 5-FU.
Photographers also noticed the redness during Trump’s Feb. 27 stop in Corpus Christi, where he stood beside actor Dennis Quaid. By the following Monday at the White House, the rash appeared significantly worse, with the skin looking flaked and scabbed.
Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and NBC/MSNBC medical analyst, criticized the White House’s explanation on social media, calling the suggestion that the cream is “preventative” a “nonsensical” claim.
Typical causes of rashes like this include contact dermatitis from shaving products or cologne, razor irritation, allergies, heat rash, or friction from clothing. Viral infections such as shingles can also produce localized rashes, though no official diagnosis has been released.
This unexplained neck irritation is the latest in a series of health-related questions surrounding Trump. In February 2025, photographers captured dark bruising on his hand, partly hidden with makeup. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed the marks to frequent handshakes, saying Trump “meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other president in history.”
In July 2025, photos showed swelling around Trump’s ankles and lower legs while he sat between First Lady Melania Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey. The White House later stated Trump had chronic venous insufficiency, a circulatory issue common among older adults that causes swelling.
The administration has also faced scrutiny for limited transparency regarding Trump’s medical information. In October 2025, the White House failed to mention that Trump had a CT scan at Walter Reed until Trump himself referenced it to reporters aboard Air Force One. The initial memo mentioned only “advanced imaging,” and officials later confirmed the scan focused on his heart and abdomen.
Concerns about Trump’s cognitive sharpness have also surfaced. He has occasionally seemed to drift off during events and frequently mixes up names and dates. During Monday’s Medal of Honor event, he referenced the war in Iran before abruptly shifting to comments about gold curtains and White House expansion plans.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal in a Jan. 1, 2026 interview that he takes aspirin daily as a blood thinner, using a 325-milligram dose — four times higher than the typically recommended 81 milligrams. Officials have linked his ongoing bruising to this regimen.
The president was 78 years and 7 months old when inaugurated in January 2025, making him the oldest individual ever sworn in as U.S. president. Although Trump has claimed he remains in “great shape,” growing health questions have drawn parallels to the scrutiny once aimed at Joe Biden.
As images of the rash spread online, the White House’s continued refusal to release more detailed medical information has only intensified speculation about what the public may not know regarding the president’s health.