Donald Trump Puts His Cankles on Display During Important Meeting With European Ally: Photos

Donald Trump’s infamous cankles are back in the spotlight.

On Tuesday, March 3, the president was spotted showing off his swollen ankles during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, with Vice President J.D. Vance by his side.

In photos, Trump sat in a yellow accent chair, his slacks riding up just enough to reveal black socks stretched over bulging ankles peeking out of his charol lace shoes.

This marks the latest in a string of cankle sightings. Just a month ago, he inadvertently flaunted them while walking down the steps of Air Force One after a stay at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

The attention isn’t new, as weeks before that, Trump drew mockery at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, for the same reason.

“Man those things are approaching tree trunk size,” one commenter wrote.

Another joked, calling them “massive,” while someone else said, “Falling apart right in front of our eyes. Brain long gone. Body following rapidly. Can't reach the end fast enough.”

Trump’s swollen ankles have been a focus since he returned to the Oval Office in January 2025. Doctors said the bulging is a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency, which he was diagnosed with in July 2025.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the reports at the time: “In the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today.”

The note confirmed that “mild swelling in his lower legs” was detected, and thorough examinations, including vascular studies, revealed “chronic venous insufficiency,” which is “benign and common, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”

Despite concerns, Trump continues to claim he’s in great physical and mental health. Yet, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. weighed in on his diet.

“I don’t know how he’s alive,” the 72-year-old politician said on Katie Miller’s podcast. “The interesting thing about the president is that he eats really bad food, which is McDonald’s and then you know KFC and Diet Coke, but he has the constitution of a deity, I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is.”

Kennedy claimed Trump's poor eating habits are a result of being "on the road."

"So if you travel with him you get this idea that he’s just pumping himself full of poison all day long and you don’t know how he’s walking around, much less being the most energetic person any of us have ever met," he continued, claiming that Trump's still in "incredible health."