President Donald Trump’s team is taking a bold new approach to the cankle concerns looming over the White House: not covering them up at all.
The 79-year-old president, who’s recently been photographed with bruising on both hands and swelling in both legs, met Poland’s new president, Karol Nawrocki, on Wednesday.
During their Oval Office meeting, Trump was seated in front of the fireplace with his swollen cankles on full display—a stark contrast to the youthful legs of his Polish counterpart.
One unapologetic shot of the president shows his cankles slightly bulging over the tops of his shoes, making them look uncomfortably tight.
The set-up differed from some of Trump’s recent appearances behind the Resolute Desk, which conveniently conceals his lower half as the White House weathers a firestorm of online speculation about his health—even including rumors of his death.
It also seems the White House has been brushing up on cosmetology: the bruising on Trump’s hands appeared far less noticeable this time, thanks to the absence of the heavy makeup that only accentuated it last month.
But full kudos aren’t exactly warranted. After Trump’s meeting with Nawrocki, the White House posted several videos on X in the Oval Office—all of which were shot from above the leg.
.@POTUS: “It’s a great pleasure to have President @NawrockiKn with us… the people of Poland have taken to him immediately. They really love him… We’ll be discussing trade and various other things.” pic.twitter.com/ibHvzlqzIw
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 3, 2025
Still, it’s a far cry from some of the more blaringly obvious ways Trump’s aides have tried to conceal his cankles.
For example, photos from Trump’s recent meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung include shots that slice off both leaders’ ankles entirely—or leave Trump’s obscured behind the Oval Office coffee table and the model Air Force One perched on top of it.
“It’s an honor to be with President Lee of South Korea… We’re going to have some very serious discussions about different things, including trade.” – President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸🇰🇷 pic.twitter.com/m9J45PjXJ6
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 25, 2025
Trump’s four-day disappearance from public life last week only exacerbated concerns over his health. He will be the oldest serving president in U.S. history by the time his second term ends in 2029.
Describing those rumors as “fake news” and insisting he’s “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE,” Trump seemed determined to impress his not-deadness upon the world over the weekend, embarking on a frenzied Truth Social blitz Saturday night that saw him crank out an impressive 42 posts in just ten hours.
Trump’s bruising is caused by shaking a lot of hands, the White House has previously explained. It’s also a side effect of using aspirin, which the president takes “as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regime.”
As for his cankles, the White House said in July that the president had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which makes it harder for blood to move from the legs to the heart.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
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