Trump diagnosed with chronic vein condition amid visible bruising and swelling
Donald Trump is suffering from a chronic vein condition, the White House confirmed on Thursday, following days of speculation after photographs showed bruising on the US president’s hand and swelling in his legs.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the 79-year-old underwent a comprehensive medical exam, including vascular tests, after noticing swelling in his lower legs. She assured reporters there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.
The bruising on Trump’s hand was described as “consistent with tissue damage from frequent handshaking” and was reportedly aggravated by his daily aspirin intake, which Leavitt said forms part of a standard cardio-vascular prevention regimen.
Trump, who has frequently spoken of his health, has previously declared himself as “the healthiest president that's ever lived.”
$9 billion funding clawback set for House vote
Later on Thursday, the House is expected to approve Trump’s request to reclaim $9 billion in already-appropriated funds, including significant cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid.
The Senate passed the bill narrowly (51–48), with no Democratic support and two Republicans voting against. The White House previously framed the move as a test case, with more clawbacks likely to follow if successful.
Opponents warn the plan undermines bipartisan spending agreements and shifts congressional authority to the executive branch.
Health data use for ICE under fire
Separately, the Trump administration faced criticism after reports that Medicaid enrollee data was shared with ICE. Voto Latino President Maria Teresa Kumar called it an “unprecedented breach of public trust,” warning that it endangered over 79 million people.
She described the move as a “weaponisation of health care data” to pursue immigration enforcement and labelled it a public health emergency. Kumar said Medicaid was a “lifeline” for 26.8 million Latinos and more than half of Latino children.
DHS event controversy in Tennessee
Tennessee state representative Justin Jones was removed from a Department of Homeland Security press conference on Thursday. Jones, part of the “Tennessee Three,” said he had intended to ask about the recent arrest of 196 individuals by ICE in Nashville.
The DHS said the event was invitation-only, and Jones had not been invited, despite having passed through a security check.
Public media cuts clash with tsunami warning
In a stark contrast, sirens warning of a possible tsunami echoed across Unalaska, Alaska on Wednesday as Congress prepared to vote on $1.1 billion in cuts to public media.
KUCB radio’s Lauren Adams remained on-air, directing residents to safety, even as her station’s future hung in the balance. Trump has called public broadcasters biased and has long pushed for their defunding, a move critics say will disproportionately affect small, rural outlets.
Trump orders two-year regulatory relief for heavy industries
Trump also issued executive orders granting two years of regulatory relief to sectors including coal plants, iron-ore processors, and chemical manufacturers. The orders will allow these industries to return to pre-Biden EPA standards, which the administration called burdensome.
Political appointments and Schedule G
The president also announced the creation of Schedule G, a new classification of political federal employees whose roles end with the appointing administration.
The move is aimed at increasing “efficiency and accountability”, said Leavitt. It follows Trump’s earlier efforts to strip civil service protections under Schedule F, which targeted thousands of federal workers.
Trump's Scotland trip confirmed
The White House confirmed that Trump will travel to Scotland from July 25 to 29, visiting Turnberry and Aberdeen. He will meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to follow up on the US-UK trade agreement.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are also scheduled for an unprecedented second state visit to the UK from September 17 to 19