Trump, 80, Spotted Repeating Strange Gesture as Health Questions Mount
Footage of the president slapping his leg as he walks has set off a fresh round of speculation.
A video of Donald Trump repeatedly slapping the side of his leg as he walks has sparked fresh speculation about the president’s health.
The clip circulated on social media over the weekend, days after Trump, 80, was pictured with heavy bruising up his bare forearm at the LIV Golf New York tournament at his Trump National Bedminster course in New Jersey, as the Daily Beast reported.
“Why is he always slapping his side now?” asked X influencer Molly Ploofkins, sharing footage of the president patting his hip as he strode across an airport tarmac. The post drew hundreds of replies offering theories, many related to Trump’s perceived ailments.
Trump's repeated slapping of his thigh sparked health fears.
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“It’s a physical therapy technique,” wrote one person, posting a search result which said therapists sometimes have patients tap the side of their leg while walking to break muscle tension patterns “caused by neurological issues like a stroke, brain injury, or Parkinson’s disease.”
Another user shared a screenshot suggesting constant leg slapping in an elderly person is typically an attempt to ease discomfort, “a symptom of an underlying neurological condition, or a behavioral manifestation of cognitive decline.”
Online medical resources suggested that the slapping could suggest something more serious.
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The chatter follows Saturday’s images from Bedminster, where Trump’s forearms—left bare by a white polo shirt—showed a scattering of bruises and scrapes, with Band-Aids wrapped around two fingers of his right hand.
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The White House has offered shifting explanations for the president’s bruising. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, previously blamed handshaking, telling the Daily Beast: “President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history.”
Bruises cover Trump's right arm at a golf event over the weekend.
Dennis Schneidler/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After marks appeared on his left hand, Trump instead pointed to his daily aspirin, which thins the blood, and the chronic venous insufficiency he was diagnosed with in July 2025.
Some doctors have speculated that Trump could be suffering cognitive decline. The president has dismissed such talk by boasting of “acing” cognitive tests.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump was “the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history,” while insulting Daily Beast reporters.
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