President Donald Trump, 79, faced renewed scrutiny over his physical condition after returning to Washington from a 15-day stay at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, descending the stairs of Air Force One cautiously Sunday evening.
The president gripped the handrail as he made his way down the aircraft’s steps at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where he then boarded Marine One for his return to the White House.
The descent came days after Trump called the Wall Street Journal to discuss his health concerns, revealing that he had undergone an ultrasound in mid-July after experiencing mild swelling in his lower legs. The president was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in older individuals that impairs blood flow from the legs back to the heart through smaller veins.
Trump stayed at Mar-a-Lago for 15 days at his Palm Beach estate. While he was there, he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the Gaza peace plan. When Netanyahu arrived, Trump walked down a short set of steps at the front entrance of his estate before greeting him.
Before Christmas, video footage showed Trump slapping his right leg three times with his right hand before descending the Air Force One stairs cautiously. The president has repeatedly acknowledged his concerns about navigating stairs in public.
In September, Trump told military generals gathered in Quantico about his careful approach to stairs. “Every day, the guy’s falling down stairs,” Trump said, referring to his predecessor Joe Biden, who was 82 when he left office. “I’m very careful. You know, when I walk downstairs—like I’m on stairs, like these stairs—I walk very slowly. Nobody has to set a record. Just try not to fall because it doesn’t work out well… Just walk nice and easy. You don’t have to set any record.”
After disembarking from Air Force One Sunday evening, Trump veered wide left of the Marine One door. Video showed the president appearing to drag his right leg.
On New Year’s Eve, Trump appeared to limp at a Mar-a-Lago party.
The president’s health disclosures extended beyond his leg issues. Trump revealed to the Wall Street Journal that he takes quadruple the common dose of aspirin for cardiac prevention, which causes bruising on his hands. To address the visible marks, Trump uses makeup to cover hand bruises. He also acknowledged trying compression socks to manage his swollen ankles. “I tried them. They’re no good,” Trump said of the compression socks.
Around October, Trump underwent an MRI scan as part of a checkup at Walter Reed Military Medical Center.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has maintained that Trump remains in good health, pointing to statements from the president’s physician.
Trump’s visible mobility challenges have drawn comparisons to scrutiny faced by previous presidents over their physical capabilities. Biden faced intense criticism throughout his presidency for stumbling on stairs and appearing unsteady during public appearances, criticism that intensified as questions about his age and fitness mounted during his reelection campaign.
The issue of presidential health and transparency has long been a contentious topic in American politics. Presidents have historically varied widely in how much medical information they choose to disclose, with some administrations providing detailed health reports while others have offered minimal information to the public.
As the oldest person to assume the presidency, Trump’s health remains under close observation by media outlets and political observers. His decision to call the Wall Street Journal to address health speculation represented an unusual move for a sitting president, suggesting sensitivity to the ongoing coverage of his physical condition.
The president’s chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis, while common among older adults, can lead to complications if left untreated. The condition typically requires ongoing management through lifestyle modifications, compression garments, and in some cases, medical procedures to improve circulation.
Trump’s regular travel schedule between Washington and Florida continues despite the health concerns, with Air Force One serving as his primary mode of long-distance transportation. The president’s careful navigation of the aircraft’s stairs has become a recurring focus of attention during these trips, with each descent captured by photographers and television crews stationed at arrival and departure points.