A medical professor has claimed President Donald Trump suffered a stroke earlier in 2025, citing visible symptoms and behavioral changes the 79-year-old has displayed in recent months — an assertion the White House vigorously denied as baseless and politically motivated.
Professor Bruce Davidson of Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine made the allegation during an appearance on The Court of History podcast, hosted by biographer Sidney Blumenthal and Princeton historian Sean Wilentz. Davidson said he believes the stroke occurred on the left side of Trump’s brain, which controls the right side of the body, and estimated the event took place six months ago or more.
“I think his stroke was on the left side of the brain, which controls the right side of the body,” Davidson told the podcast hosts, adding that several observable changes in Trump’s physical behavior support his theory.
The professor pointed to videos showing Trump shuffling his feet, a marked departure from earlier footage of the president striding confidently on golf courses. He also noted instances of Trump cradling his right hand in his left and garbling words earlier in 2025, though Davidson acknowledged the president has shown improvement in his speech more recently.
Davidson also cited what he described as episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness, a condition medically known as hypersomnolence that is common among stroke patients. The president has been seen appearing to nod off during public appearances, including White House events. Additionally, footage of Trump gripping the banister with his left hand while descending the steps of Air Force One — despite being right-handed — was flagged as consistent with having had a stroke on the left side of the brain.
While Davidson did not specify what type of stroke he believes Trump may have suffered, he said if his assessment is correct, it “looks like he’s had significant recovery.”
The claims come amid months of public speculation about Trump’s health. The president has frequently appeared in public with visible bruises on his hands, which he has attempted to conceal with makeup. Trump has also been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that causes swelling in the lower legs, which the White House confirmed in July 2024. To manage the swelling, Trump wears compression socks and has acknowledged taking more aspirin than his doctors recommend.
In a January interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump candidly discussed several health issues, including his aspirin use for cardiac prevention. He also addressed reports about advanced imaging conducted after what was described as a follow-up evaluation to his annual physical exam. Trump clarified that he underwent a CT scan, not an MRI as initially reported, to rule out cardiovascular issues. The scan, according to Dr. Sean Barbabella, did not reveal any abnormalities.
Trump said he regretted undergoing the advanced imaging because it fueled further speculation about his health. The medical evaluation took place in October 2025 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, with a note dated October 10 confirming the follow-up but providing limited details about the procedures performed.
Another incident that drew public attention occurred on September 11, 2025, when Trump appeared at an event with his face appearing droopy on one side. Social media users at the time speculated the appearance could be a sign of a stroke, though no diagnosis was confirmed. Facial drooping is a well-known symptom of stroke, occurring when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, affecting muscle control on one side of the face.
Beyond the physical symptoms, Davidson suggested that Trump’s behavior during his second term could also be consistent with post-stroke changes. He described strokes as serious, life-threatening events that can provoke varied responses in patients, ranging from humility and gratitude to euphoria or heightened risk-taking.
“Some people respond with humility and gratitude. Others become euphoric—’I was at the cliff of death, and now I’m back,'” Davidson said. “And some think, ‘That was my chance to die, and I didn’t—so now I’m going to do everything I wanted to do, because the next one may be fatal.'”
The White House rejected Davidson’s claims in forceful terms. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump remains in excellent health and dismissed the allegations as politically motivated attacks. Leavitt called the allegations “absolute bullshit” and described Davidson as a left-wing nut job.
In a statement, Leavitt emphasized Trump’s work ethic and accessibility to the public, contrasting it with concerns about former President Joe Biden’s health during his time in office. She accused the media of pushing false narratives while trust in journalism has fallen to historic lows.
Questions about the health of aging political leaders have become a recurring theme in American politics. Biden, who was 82 years and seven months old when he left office, faced persistent questions about his physical and mental fitness. Trump, who will be 82 years and seven months old by the end of his current term if he serves it fully, is on track to become the oldest president in U.S. history.
The bruising on Trump’s hands first attracted widespread attention in February 2025, when discoloration on his right hand was visible through makeup during an Oval Office meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. At the time, Leavitt attributed the bruising to Trump’s frequent handshaking and daily aspirin use, describing him as a man of the people who meets more Americans than any other president in history.
Months later, as questions persisted, Barbabella stated during a July press briefing explaining that the bruising was consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking combined with aspirin use, which was part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.
Despite the White House’s denials and medical explanations, public scrutiny of Trump’s health continues. The lack of detailed medical records and the president’s own contradictory statements about his imaging procedures have only intensified speculation. The discrepancy between initial reports of an MRI and Trump’s later correction that it was actually a CT scan raised additional questions about transparency.
Davidson’s claims, while purely speculative without direct access to the president’s medical records, add to a growing chorus of health-related concerns that have followed Trump throughout his second term. The visible physical symptoms — from hand bruising to swollen ankles to apparent fatigue during public events — have been documented by multiple news outlets over several months.
The medical condition chronic venous insufficiency, which Trump has been diagnosed with, occurs when veins in the legs fail to efficiently return blood to the heart. This can cause swelling, discomfort, and visible changes in the lower extremities. While generally not life-threatening, the condition is more common in older adults and can indicate broader cardiovascular issues if left unmanaged.
Trump’s admission that he takes more aspirin than recommended also raises medical questions. While low-dose aspirin is commonly prescribed for cardiovascular prevention, taking excessive amounts can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising — potentially explaining the visible marks on the president’s hands that have drawn so much attention.
As Trump approaches the midpoint of his second term, questions about his health show no signs of abating. Whether Davidson’s stroke theory has merit or represents unfounded speculation, the ongoing debate underscores broader concerns about presidential health transparency and the physical demands placed on the nation’s oldest leaders.
