Misleading Reddit clip spreads across TikTok despite White House confirming President has only minor vein condition, not life-threatening illness
A viral video falsely claiming that Donald Trump has only “six to eight months to live” due to congestive heart failure and chronic kidney disease has been exposed as medical misinformation spread by a physical therapist who was misrepresented as a doctor.
The misleading clip, which first appeared on Reddit before spreading rapidly across TikTok and other social media platforms, has sparked widespread backlash after fact-checkers revealed the speaker was not a qualified physician and that official medical records show no evidence of the life-threatening conditions claimed.
In the original full-length video, the speaker clearly identifies himself as a physical therapist rather than a medical doctor. However, edited versions that went viral removed this crucial detail, leading millions of viewers to believe they were watching a physician make a legitimate medical diagnosis about the President’s health.
The false claims escalated dramatically as the video spread, with some TikTok posts even suggesting Trump had only “four days to live” – assertions that fact-checking organisations including PolitiFact have dismissed as completely baseless.
White House physician Dr Sean Barbabella has categorically denied the viral claims, confirming that President Trump, 79, has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) – a benign circulatory condition common in people over 70 – but specifically ruling out heart failure, kidney disease, arterial problems or any other systemic illness.
President Trump remains in excellent health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief,” Dr Barbabella stated in an official memorandum released by the White House in July.
The President’s actual medical condition came to light after photographs showed swollen ankles and bruised hands, prompting speculation on social media. Following a comprehensive examination at Walter Reed Medical Centre in April 2025, Trump was given a clean bill of health, with his physician describing him as being in “excellent cognitive and physical health.
The White House later clarified that the ankle swelling was caused by chronic venous insufficiency, whilst the hand bruising was attributed to frequent handshaking combined with Trump’s use of aspirin as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.
Dr Andrea Obi, a vascular surgeon at the University of Michigan Health’s Frankel Cardiovascular Centre, confirmed that chronic venous insufficiency is “a benign and common condition” that occurs when valves in leg veins don’t work properly, causing blood to pool in the lower extremities rather than flowing efficiently back to the heart.
“This is a pretty normal part of ageing,” emergency physician Dr Jeremy Faust told CNN, adding that the diagnosis was neither surprising nor alarming for someone of Trump’s age and weight category.
The viral video represents a troubling example of how medical misinformation spreads on social media platforms. Experts say the predictions ranging from “six months” to “four days” were designed to provoke emotional reactions but lacked any medical foundation whatsoever.
Medical professionals have expressed concern about the rise of health-related misinformation on platforms like TikTok, where studies show that misleading medical content is 14 per cent more likely to go viral than factually accurate information.
Misinformation is literally landing people in the hospital, literally killing people,” said Dr Eric Burnett, a hospitalist at Columbia-Presbyterian who uses TikTok to combat false medical claims.
The incident highlights the dangers of partial or decontextualised content being used to fuel misleading narratives about high-profile figures. In this case, a physical therapist’s commentary – which carries no medical authority to diagnose serious conditions – was edited and presented as if it were a physician’s professional assessment.
Official medical records confirm that Trump’s blood work came back “within normal limits” during his comprehensive examination. Bilateral ultrasounds of his lower legs revealed only the chronic venous insufficiency, with no evidence of deep vein thrombosis, heart failure, renal impairment or any systemic illness.
The President’s echocardiogram showed “normal cardiac structure and function”, directly contradicting the viral video’s claims of congestive heart failure.
Chronic venous insufficiency affects millions of Americans and is particularly common in individuals over 70. The condition is manageable through compression stockings, leg elevation, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight. It is not life-threatening and does not affect life expectancy when properly managed.
The false claims about Trump having chronic kidney disease are equally unfounded. His physician’s report specifically noted normal renal function with no signs of kidney impairment.
As misinformation about the President’s health continues to circulate, fact-checkers emphasise the importance of verifying medical claims through credible sources rather than relying on viral social media content.
The episode serves as a stark reminder of how quickly false information can spread in the digital age, particularly when edited videos remove crucial context about the credentials and qualifications of those making medical claims.
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