WASHINGTON, D.C. — After his recent appearance in the Oval Office, people are once again talking a lot about President Donald Trump’s health online. A TikTok video that has subsequently gone viral has sparked a fresh and unproven speculation regarding the president’s health. The video, which was shared by “Tarot and Tea,” zoomed in on what looked like a device sticking out from beneath Trump’s suit jacket. This made some wonder, “What is under Trump’s suit jacket?” Is it an LVAD?
A Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) is a mechanical pump that is surgically put into people with severe heart failure to help their heart pump blood around their body. It is vital to highlight that there is no proof that President Trump has an LVAD, even though it is a life-saving equipment for those with serious cardiac problems. The White House hasn’t said anything about the recent claims, and there have been no reports of President Trump’s cardiac problems before.
This new set of rumors is only one of many health-related ones that have been spreading more quickly in the last few weeks. The president’s short absence from public view during the Labor Day weekend led to a “Trump is Dead” trend on X (previously Twitter), which he later called “fake news.” Other physical symptoms, such bruising on his wrists (first seen in February) and swollen ankles, have also kept people interested in him.
The White House said in July that President Trump has chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a common ailment in which veins in the arms or legs can’t properly return blood to the heart, causing swelling. Sean Barbabella, his doctor, said that the CVI was a “benign and common condition” and that the bruises on his hands were caused by shaking hands a lot and taking aspirin. Even if these explanations and a physical exam in April said Trump was “in excellent health” and “fully fit,” the public and social media users still watch every public appearance closely.
President Trump has personally addressed the rumors by saying on his social media site, Truth Social, that he has “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.” But for a lot of people online, every new picture or video is a riddle to be solved, which keeps the rumors going and going.