A set of curious photos of President Donald Trump sparked a flurry of speculation online this week after eagle-eyed social media users claimed a strange bulge in his pant leg might indicate a hidden medical condition.
The images, taken during Trump’s visit to the White House Rose Garden, have gone viral, prompting armchair diagnoses and renewed focus on his health as the 2024 election looms.
The controversy ignited when a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted close-up shots showing what appeared to be an unusual shape pressing against Trump’s pant leg. The post read, “What’s going on here?” and quickly amassed over 17,000 likes. Soon, theories began to flood in.
Some speculated the 45th president may have been wearing a Foley catheter—used to drain urine from the bladder into a collection bag strapped to the leg—a device commonly prescribed for individuals with urinary incontinence. One user went as far as to connect this alleged device to signs of late-stage frontotemporal dementia, citing symptoms such as bladder control issues, impulsivity, and personality changes.
Others, however, offered a different take. Some claimed the visible outline might be a brace, potentially used to support what’s known as “drop foot,” a condition that can result from nerve damage and cause difficulty lifting the front part of the foot. “If he’s had a neurological event, this all adds up,” one user wrote.
The online chatter didn’t end there. Over the weekend, Trump also made an appearance at a UFC event in New Jersey, where additional images sparked similar comments about what appeared to be a similar protrusion. Others went so far as to mock the supposed tubing, likening the sound it made as he moved to a “sloshing Capri Sun.”But amid all the internet-fueled speculation, there’s one important fact being overlooked: Trump’s most recent medical evaluation gave him a clean bill of health.
Captain Sean Barbabella, Trump’s personal physician, confirmed earlier this year that the president passed an extensive physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The five-hour exam included blood tests, cardiac screening, and a neurological evaluation—specifically, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, on which Trump reportedly scored a perfect 30 out of 30. At the time, Dr. Barbabella stated that Trump was in top form, both mentally and physically.