President Donald Trump’s swollen ankles made an appearance as he descended Air Force One after a trip across the pond.
The president arrived in the U.K. on Tuesday night with first lady Melania—and his cankles—in tow, his second state visit after one in June 2019.
After he cautiously walked down the stairs holding onto Melania with one hand and the railing with the other, Trump was welcomed by U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Warren Stephens, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, and Viscount Henry Hood, who represented King Charles.
The 79-year-old president’s swollen ankles prompted an evaluation by the White House Medical Unit in July, according to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“In recent weeks, President Trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs,” Leavitt said at the time. “In keeping with routine medical care and out of an abundance of caution, this concern was thoroughly evaluated by the White House medical unit.”
The comprehensive examination concluded that Trump had chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition where veins struggle to push blood back to the heart.
Dr. Sean Barbabella, Trump’s physician, said the president remained “in excellent health.” The White House also cited disgraced doctor Ronny Jackson, Trump’s physician during his first term, to assure the public that he was “the healthiest president this nation has ever seen” and was “mentally and physically sharper than ever before.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
The president’s cankles have continued to peek through, including during an Oval Office meeting earlier this month. Trump’s bruised hands, droopy face, and mental gaffes have also fueled speculations about the state of his health.
But the president may have more pressing concerns at hand. As he arrived in the U.K., protesters greeted Trump with images of him with notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein projected onto the iconic Windsor Castle.
In a similar stunt on Monday, protesters unfurled a massive banner of the former close pals.
Trump and the first lady are spending their first night in the U.K. at Winfield House, the U.S. ambassador’s official residence in London, before making their way to Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
“They have never used Windsor Castle like this before. They use Buckingham Palace. I don’t want to say one is better than the other, but Windsor Castle is the ultimate,” Trump touted to reporters on Tuesday. In 1982, however, then-President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy spent a night at Windsor Castle.
Trump is expected to announce a multibillion-dollar economic pact with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, focusing on science, defense technology, and nuclear power initiatives.
