Redness On Trump’s Neck Addressed By White House Doctor
on Mar 03, 2026
Blotchy Skin Has Been Observed On President Trump’s Neck Over The Past Week
Over the past year, President Donald Trump‘s health has been an area of concern.
Not only is he the oldest president in American history to be inaugurated into office, having been sworn in at 78, but he received a diagnosis last year that has marked many of his public appearances.
In July of 2025, White House Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt revealed that Trump had been diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency.
Prior to this diagnosis, many had observed bruising on Trump’s right hand, going as far back as February of 2025.
At the time, it was said that Trump’s hand was bruised from shaking too many hands — a problem that President Ulysses S. Grant faced after his inauguration in 1869, as noted by biographer Ron Chernow in his book Grant.
By July, swelling on Trump’s right hand, as well as at his ankles, was quite noticeable.
Now, as of his first State of the Union address of his second term, delivered on Feb. 24, Trump’s health is in the spotlight again.
During the address, an area of irritated, red skin on the right side of Trump’s neck was spotted, and it was seen again, more clearly, at a Medal of Honor ceremony on March 2.
Later that day, the White House doctor addressed this health concern.
The White House Doctor Comments On Trump’s Skin Treatment
Trump’s personal physician, Dr. Sean P. Barbabella, said in a statement on March 2 that Trump was prescribed a cream as a “preventative” treatment of the skin condition, which Dr. Barbabella did not identify in his remarks.
This patch of red skin goes below the collar of Trump’s shirts, and extends up toward his right ear — the same ear that was injured by an assassin’s bullet at the 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“President Trump is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative skin treatment, prescribed by the White House doctor,” Dr. Barbabella wrote, as quoted by NBC News. “The president is using this treatment for one week, and the redness is expected to last for a few weeks.”
In addition to physical marks, the president has also exhibited drowsiness.
The office of the president, especially in recent decades, has called for intense hours. Famously, Trump stays busy, with new executive orders, trips, and even military action — like with his 2 a.m. announcement on Feb. 28 of the still ongoing military operation in Iran.
This Flag Day, June 14, 2026, Trump will turn 80.
The area of redness on Trump’s neck can be observed at the very beginning of this video from the March 2 Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House:
RELATED: President Trump Diagnosed With Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Trump’s Past Health Concerns As President
During Trump’s first term, questions about his mental cognition as well as physical health were already circulating.
At the time, Trump reportedly weighed 244 pounds, according to contested physicals conducted by his doctor. In his second term, Trump reportedly weighs 224 pounds.
As the 2020 election was nearing, Trump notably was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was hospitalized at Walter Reed Medical Center.
Revisit Trump’s statement preceding his hospitalization for COVID-19 on Oct. 2, 2020, here:
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
