President Donald Trump has shown a concerning new skin issue, leading to more questions about his health.
Photographers took pictures of a bad-looking rash on the side of his neck as he attended a Medal of Honor event at the White House on Monday.
This mysterious rash might cause more worries about the 79-year-old president, who has also been questioned about his bruised hands, swollen ankles, and mental sharpness.
In a statement, Trump’s doctor, Dr. Sean Barbabella, told the Daily Beast: “President Trump is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck.
It’s a preventive skin treatment prescribed by the White House doctor.”
The president is using this treatment for one week, and the redness is expected to last for a few weeks, he added.
But the White House has not said what exactly the cream is protecting against.
Without a detailed explanation of the illness, people and jokes spread online.
“Look forward to the White House explaining that it’s hickeys,” joked Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action.
“Shingles?”
asked podcast host Jack Hopkins.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office also posted a picture of the president’s new skin issue with a series of eye emojis.
Some people even wondered if it could be a reaction to anti-skin cancer medicine like Fluororacil, also known as 5-FU.
Photos suggest the redness on Trump’s neck first appeared during his trip to Corpus Christi in Texas on Friday, as he stood next to actor Denis Quaid.
But the condition was more obvious on Monday, with the skin behind his right ear looking scabbed and flaky as he spoke about the war in Iran for the first time since the attacks began over the weekend.
As casualties rise, Trump said he would not get bored of fighting Iran, suggesting the U.S. might be in the war longer than he first said.
“We projected four to five weeks from the start, but we have the ability to go much longer.
We’ll do it,” he said.
But his remarks on Iran lasted about 10 minutes, after which he quickly moved on to his $400 million ballroom project.
“See that nice drape?”
he asked the audience, pointing to the East Room decor. “In about a year and a half from now, you’re going to see a very, very beautiful building.”
The photos of Trump’s irritated skin appeared after the event, showing a red patch going from below his jawline to the side of his neck.
Possible reasons for the rash could include contact dermatitis from shaving products or cologne, razor burn, allergic reactions, heat rash, or irritation from clothing.
Viral infections like shingles can also cause localized rashes, though a doctor needs to check for a proper diagnosis.
While Trump says he is in “great shape” for his age, he has faced the same kind of attention that affected his predecessor, Joe Biden.
In February, photographers captured what looked like a dark bruise on his hand, partly hidden with makeup.
The images spread across the news and social media, forcing the White House to offer a familiar explanation for the bruising: Trump’s frequent handshaking.
“President Trump is a man of the people and meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other president in history,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time.
In July, photos showed visible swelling around Trump’s ankles and lower legs as he sat between First Lady Melania Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino at a FIFA event.
This led the White House to admit Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a common condition in older adults that causes leg swelling.
More recently, his cognitive health has come under question, with the president sometimes appearing to doze off at events or regularly confusing names and dates.
The latest skin issue and the White House’s response to it are likely to raise even more questions and accusations of a cover-up.
“Seems like the ‘common cream’ may likely be 1% hydrocortisone for a contact dermatitis.
That seemed likely given the numerous pictures shared online. But the idea this cream is a ‘preventative’ is nonsense,” Dr. Vin Gupta, a lung MD and medical analyst for MS Now, speculated on X.
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