'His Swollen Ankles Likely Make It Too Painful' Trends Online After Trump Skips the Wheel at LIV Golf Virginia

A video of President Donald Trump being driven around in a golf cart at the LIV Golf Virginia tournament on Saturday has ignited a fresh wave of speculation online about the 79-year-old's physical health. The moment, captured at Trump National Golf Club on Lowes Island in Sterling, Virginia, quickly spread across social media platforms — with many users pointing to his previously diagnosed ankle condition as the likely reason he was not behind the wheel.

Trump had attended the event less than a week after appearing at the final round of the PGA Tour's Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral in Miami.

'Cankles Must Be Playing Up'

Online reactions were swift and pointed. 'He's not driving,' one user wrote on X. 'His cankles must be playing up.' Another simply noted, 'Not driving the cart, though. Hmm,' prompting a reply from a fellow user who said they were thinking exactly the same thing.

A lengthier post drew significant engagement: 'He's ALWAYS driving the cart. His swollen ankles likely make it too painful or physically impossible to press down on the foot pedal. Or his hands can't grip the steering wheel due to weakness or swelling. Hmm, indeed.' One commenter joked that LIV Golf officials had 'took gramp's licence away and rightfully so.' A more measured voice on the platform noted that Trump 'usually drives onto the putting surface,' adding there was 'no way tourney officials [would] let him destroy the course' — suggesting tournament rules, not health, may have played a role.

Trump was later seen at the event alongside his son Eric, with both waving to spectators from behind a bulletproof glass partition.

A Condition Already on Record

The online commentary did not emerge in a vacuum. In July 2025, the White House confirmed that Trump had undergone a 'comprehensive examination' after noticing 'mild swelling' in his lower legs, and was subsequently diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the condition as 'common, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,' adding that Trump 'remains in excellent health.'

CVI occurs when veins in the legs are unable to move blood efficiently back to the heart, causing blood to collect in the leg veins and raise pressure in those vessels. Symptoms can include swelling in the lower legs or ankles, pain, cramping, and aching, and in more severe cases, the condition can lead to decreased mobility.

Dr Scott Cameron, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic who specialises in blood vessel disorders, noted that the condition is 'most common in individuals who carry more weight than they ought to,' and also observed it frequently in avid golfers and those who are older or sit for extended periods.

Broader Health Scrutiny

The golf cart incident is only the latest episode to attract attention. Earlier this month, close-up photographs taken during a 7 May White House event showed Trump's hands appearing swollen and discoloured — images that appeared to show two noticeably different shades of what social media users described as concealer, which spread rapidly online and intensified scrutiny of the president's physical condition. Trump has attributed bruising on his hands to taking 325 milligrams of aspirin daily — a dose the Wall Street Journal noted is four times the standard daily aspirin recommendation — telling the paper it was 'good for thinning out the blood.'

Trump's annual physical exam remains overdue. His last one was conducted on 11 April 2025, after which he was declared to be in 'excellent health.'

Trump is set to travel to Beijing later this week for a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the two leaders are expected to address trade, the ongoing war in Iran, and tensions over Taiwan. The timing of renewed public focus on his health — just days before a high-stakes diplomatic trip — adds another layer to an already closely watched presidency. As scrutiny of his physical condition continues to grow online, questions about transparency surrounding the health of the world's most powerful leader are unlikely to quieten soon.