HEALTHDonald Trump Sparks Health Concerns as He's Spotted With 'Nasty-Looking,' Swollen Cankles: 'Really, Really Bad'
Donald Trump sparked online concern after being spotted with swollen ankles on the White House lawn.
March 11 2026, Published 9:24 a.m. ET
Donald Trump is once again sparking health concerns after being spotted with noticeably swollen ankles while returning to the White House following a weekend trip to Florida.
On Monday, March 9, the president arrived in Washington aboard Marine One, where he greeted reporters waiting outside with a big thumbs up.
Donald Trump was seen with swollen ankles outside the White House.
Trump was dressed in a sharp blue suit as he stepped off the helicopter and walked across the White House lawn. However, as he moved, his slacks lifted slightly — revealing bulging ankles that quickly caught attention online.
Not surprisingly, social media users had plenty to say.
“What could be causing that? This is definitely a strange sight!” one person wrote on X.
“Oh JEEZ that is really, really bad. Dude needs to be on a strong diuretic,” a second penned.
A third commenter added, “That is rather nasty looking and quite extreme."
Another user chimed in, writing, “Trump’s ankle does show legit, massive pitting edema around the malleolus and lower leg. No denying it looks painful and established due to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) on record.”
The president's cankles went viral after he returned from Florida.
A fifth commenter also tried to explain: “Swollen ankles aren't a symptom of dementia itself, but they often go hand-in-hand. 🦶📉 From reduced mobility and "gravity pooling" to side effects from blood pressure meds, edema is a common hurdle for those living with cognitive decline. Keep those feet elevated! #DementiaCare.”
The moment comes just days after Trump appeared with similar swelling during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office with Friedrich Merz, while J.D. Vance sat nearby.
In photos from the meeting, Trump sat in a yellow accent chair while his slacks rode up slightly, revealing black socks stretched tightly over his swollen ankles inside his shiny lace-up shoes.
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Doctors previously diagnosed Donald Trump with chronic venous insufficiency.
This isn’t the first time observers have noticed the swelling.
Just a month earlier, Trump inadvertently showed off the same issue while walking down the steps of Air Force One after visiting his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Even before that, critics pointed out the same detail when Trump appeared at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“Man those things are approaching tree trunk size,” one commenter wrote.
Another joked that the ankles looked “massive,” while someone else added, “Falling apart right in front of our eyes. Brain long gone. Body following rapidly. Can't reach the end fast enough.”
Donald Trump claims he is in 'great' health.
The swelling has been discussed frequently since Trump returned to the Oval Office in January 2025.
Doctors previously confirmed that the bulging ankles are linked to chronic venous insufficiency, a condition Trump was reportedly diagnosed with in July 2025.
At the time, Karoline Leavitt addressed the issue during a briefing.
“In the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today," she said.
The medical note explained that doctors had observed “mild swelling in his lower legs” and conducted thorough testing, including vascular studies.
According to the physician, the results showed “chronic venous insufficiency,” which is “benign and common, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
