The publicly absent Donald Trump
J. D. Vance will not be an improvement
This is not happening the way that I thought it might.
Last year, I suspected that Donald Trump might not survive until election day, then inauguration day. He is incoherent, overweight, and overly fond of fast food.[1] I took his incoherence as suggestive of cardiovascular problems and, when Trump regained the presidency, figured J. D. Vance was one Big Mac away from the presidency.
Somehow, I missed that Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. It’s a common condition in which veins cannot return blood to the heart as efficiently as they should. There is a risk of blood clots[2] and, of course, if one of those clots makes its way to the brain, they can cause a stroke.
I have seen comment on social media that Trump had not been publicly seen in five days. It seems that “several reporters claimed that the president has been oddly out of the public eye for most of the week.”[3] Chronic venous insufficiency is treatable[4] but it’s entirely plausible that Trump was off his feet. Recent photos of Trump’s bruised hand and right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ comment that “[Trump’s] ankles are giant”[5] seem to me consistent with that diagnosis.[6] Jones also opined, in Raw Story’s paraphrase, that Trump “is in a ‘health crisis,’ and looks like he is about to ‘collapse.’”[7]
In response, Trump claimed he “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE” and he was apparently seen heading out to play golf on Saturday (August 30),[8] which I guess suggests that he is on the mend. The problem here, obviously, is a lack of solid information. Just as we have seen with John Fetterman’s health crisis (first a stroke, followed by severe depression),[9] toxic men tend to deny their health problems. We have no confirmation from the White House of a problem—only the public absence and a diagnosis.
But I would suggest buckling up: Vance will not be an improvement.
[1] Chris Cillizza, “A history of Donald Trump's fast food addiction,” So What, February 23, 2023, https://chriscillizza.substack.com/p/a-history-of-donald-trumps-fast-food
[2] Liam Connolly, “President Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency: What it means,” University of California, Davis, Health, July 18, 2025, https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/president-trump-diagnosed-with-chronic-venous-insufficiency-what-it-means/2025/07
[3] Brian Linder, “Where is Donald Trump? Wild rumors swirl around president heading into weekend,” Harrisburg Patriot-News, August 30, 2025, https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/08/where-is-donald-trump-wild-rumors-swirl-around-president-heading-into-weekend.html
[4] Liam Connolly, “President Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency: What it means,” University of California, Davis, Health, July 18, 2025, https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/president-trump-diagnosed-with-chronic-venous-insufficiency-what-it-means/2025/07
[5] Brian Linder, “Where is Donald Trump? Wild rumors swirl around president heading into weekend,” Harrisburg Patriot-News, August 30, 2025, https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/08/where-is-donald-trump-wild-rumors-swirl-around-president-heading-into-weekend.html
[6] Liam Connolly, “President Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency: What it means,” University of California, Davis, Health, July 18, 2025, https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/president-trump-diagnosed-with-chronic-venous-insufficiency-what-it-means/2025/07
[7] Liam Connolly, “President Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency: What it means,” University of California, Davis, Health, July 18, 2025, https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/president-trump-diagnosed-with-chronic-venous-insufficiency-what-it-means/2025/07
[8] Katie Hawkinson, “Trump claps back after weekend of speculation about his health: ‘Never felt better in my life,’” Independent, August 31, 2025, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-health-rumors-response-truth-social-b2817486.html
[9] Ian Karbal, Peter Hall, and John Cole, “‘I’m in good health’: Questions surround Fetterman’s fitness for office after report,” Pennsylvania Capital-Star, May 12, 2025, https://penncapital-star.com/government-politics/im-in-good-health-questions-surround-fettermans-fitness-for-office-after-report/; Julia Terruso, “Inside Sen. John Fetterman’s office: canceled meetings, skipped votes and an outburst with Pa. teachers,” Philadelphia Inquirer, May 8, 2025, https://www.inquirer.com/politics/john-fetterman-staff-concerns-voting-record-20250508.html