The shadow of illness over the White House: From Biden’s dementia rumors to Trump’s stroke.
With a new wave of rumors about the health of 79-year-old US President Donald Trump in September 2025 (Shahrivar 1404), discussions and concerns about the health of US presidents have intensified once again. This report is the first part of a two-part file dedicated to examining the health of recent US presidents.
Trump’s week-long absence and the beginning of a rumor storm
The US president has faced many rumors about his serious illness this month after being absent from the public eye for nearly a week. The speculation intensified after Trump’s vice president, J.D. Vance, announced that he was ready to replace the president in the event of a “terrible disaster.” The White House had previously announced to calm public opinion that Trump suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, a common and benign circulatory problem, especially in people over 70, which was diagnosed after Trump’s ankles were unusually swollen and his right hand was bruised.
Photos of Trump in recent months show significant swelling in his ankles and bruises on his hands, sometimes covered up with makeup.
Just a year ago, widespread pressure over Joe Biden’s age and concerns about dementia forced him to drop out of the 2024 race, paving the way for Trump’s victory. Now the American public is faced with a stark contradiction: The president, who credits his victory largely to his former rival’s physical frailty, is himself embroiled in similar rumors of illness and physical fitness.
Yet Trump appeared in the Oval Office on September 2 after a week-long absence, calling the illness rumors “fake,” insisting, “I was very active over the weekend.” He cited his weekend activities, golf games, and interviews as evidence of his health. The US president insisted that reports of his illness were unfounded, describing them as media misinformation and political sabotage.