President Donald Trump is confronting questions about his health, as visible changes in his public appearances continue to fuel speculation about his fitness for office.
The renewed scrutiny follows a series of viral clips and photos showing Trump allegedly appearing drowsy in public settings and displaying facial asymmetry, all of which the White House has dismissed as the result of an intense workload.
Despite those efforts, the discussion escalated after a medical expert publicly suggested the signs point to a serious underlying issue.
Medical experts have raised concerns that President Donald Trump may be experiencing aftereffects consistent with a stroke
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Last week, on the podcast The Court of History, Dr. Bruce Davidson, a professor of medicine at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, said he believes the president may have suffered a stroke sometime last summer.
According to Davidson, the suspected event would have occurred on “the left side of the brain, which controls the right side of the body.”
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He emphasized that he has never examined Trump and based his opinion solely on publicly available footage, adding that he believes the president has shown notable signs of recovery.
“There are videos of him shuffling his feet, which is not what we’d seen previously when he was striding on the golf course,” Davidson said.
“We’ve seen him holding his right hand cradled in his left. Earlier in 2025, he was garbling words, which he hadn’t done before and which he’s improved upon more recently.”
“That’s why his face is droopy,” a reader wrote.
Davidson pointed to multiple physical changes that have become more apparent over time
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During Trump’s arrival at his New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, cameras captured him briefly dragging one leg before straightening his posture as he appeared to notice he was being filmed.
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The clip circulated widely online and added to a growing archive of footage critics say shows altered gait and coordination.
Davidson said these changes stand in contrast to Trump’s earlier years, when he was frequently seen walking briskly at public events.
The White House has declined to engage with specific claims, repeatedly insisting the president is in good health and attributing any unusual moments to fatigue from an intense schedule.
Trump has also been filmed appearing to doze off during meetings and public events, particularly over the past three months. The administration has explained the episodes by saying the president sleeps very little and works long hours.
Trump has spoken about his heavy aspirin consumption and dislike for physical exercise
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Davidson offered a medical explanation, noting that stroke victims often experience hypersomnolence, a condition characterized by marked episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness.
He said the symptom could plausibly explain Trump’s persistent drowsiness if a stroke had occurred.
Beyond neurological speculation, Trump has acknowledged other health concerns that have drawn attention.
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He has swollen ankles caused by chronic venous insufficiency, a circulatory condition common among older adults. He has also appeared with visible bruising on his hands, which doctors have linked to thinning skin associated with age and long term aspirin use.
In an interview earlier this month with The Wall Street Journal, Trump admitted he has ignored a doctor’s advice to take a low dose of daily aspirin. He said he has been taking a higher dose for decades and intends to continue.
“Rather obvious.” Viewers believe Trump’s health issues to be self-evident
