A recent buzz has been going around claiming that President Donald Trump might have suffered a stroke sometime last year (in 2025), and that the White House has been keeping it under wraps.
This comes from Professor Bruce Davidson, who’s a medical expert at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. He shared his thoughts on the podcast The Court of History, hosted by biographer Sidney Blumenthal and historian Sean Wilentz.
According to Davidson, he thinks the stroke happened on the left side of Trump’s brain, which would affect the right side of the body. He estimates it was about six months ago or earlier in 2025.
He pointed out a few things he’s noticed in videos and public appearances:
- Trump shuffling his feet in some clips, which looks different from his usual confident stride (especially on the golf course).
- Holding his right hand cradled in his left at times.
- Earlier in 2025, some instances of garbled speech that seemed new, though it improved later.
- Moments of excessive daytime sleepiness — like appearing to nod off during events — which he says is pretty common after strokes.
Here’s a photo of the president walking down the stairs from Air Force One recently, where Davidson highlighted how Trump gripped the banister with his left hand (even though he’s right-handed), calling it consistent with possible weakness on the right side.
Another image that’s been discussed shows a visible bruise on the back of Trump’s right hand during a meeting.
Davidson also suggested that if this is true, Trump seems to have made a pretty significant recovery, as some of the early signs have gotten better. He even speculated that the aggressive, unpredictable style in his second term could tie into how some people react after a serious health scare like that — like seizing the moment because “the next one might be fatal.”
Of course, there’s no official confirmation from Trump himself or any medical records to back this up — it’s all based on public observations from someone who’s not his doctor.
The White House pushed back hard. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told outlets like the Daily Beast that President Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, has repeatedly said he’s in excellent overall health. She called these kinds of stories fake and desperate, comparing them to how the media handled Biden’s health issues in the past, and said it’s why trust in the media is at an all-time low.
There have been ongoing questions about Trump’s health lately anyway — from those bruises (which the White House says come from constant handshakes), to his diet (RFK Jr. even joked on a podcast that Trump’s love of McDonald’s, candy, and Diet Coke is amazing, and he has the constitution of a deity), plus that face droop some people noticed at a 9/11 anniversary event.
Bottom line? Without solid proof or an announcement from the president, it’s all speculation for now. These claims are out there, but the official line is that Trump is sharp and energetic as ever.
What do you think — is there something to it, or just more noise?
