Trump's ankle photo goes viral on Christmas Day; ‘tax money stuffed in socks’
An old zoomed-in photo of President Donald Trump's ankle is going viral on social media on Christmas Day
An old zoomed-in photo of President Donald Trump's ankle is going viral on social media on Christmas Day. In a post on Wednesday, an X user with over 70K followers (@PopularLiberal) sarcastically claimed that the 79-year-old has money ‘stuffed’ in his socks. The post now has over 24,000 likes and has been retweeted more than 1,100 times.
In a Christmas Eve post, the user shared a photo of Trump's swollen ankle. “TRUMP THINKS HE’S SLICK. THAT’S YOUR TAX MONEY STUFFED IN HIS SOCK. HE SIPHONED THE WHOLE TREASURY STRAIGHT INTO HIS ANKLE. 🎁,” the caption on X, platform formerly known as Twitter, read.
However, the photo is not a new one. It is from a July event. “Is this photo real? Is Trumps ankels really that bad? His health over all?” one concerned social media user asked.
“I want the entire photo. Sorry but we can't trust anything anymore. We know he has edena but this is even worse than before,” a skeptical user added.
Grok addresses confusion
After one person asked xAI's bot, Grok, about the photo, it responded: “The photo appears genuine, showing Donald Trump's swollen ankle from a July 2025 event. It's linked to his diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a common vein condition causing mild leg swelling. Official reports state his overall health is excellent, with a recent October 2025 MRI showing normal results and no major concerns.”
Trump's health concerns
Earlier this year, Trump underwent an examination for swelling in his legs. The White House revealed that he was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. The 79-year-old underwent a 'comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies' with the White House Medical Unit, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or arterial disease,” the White House physician noted. He further added that Trump's lab testing was all ‘within normal limits’.
“No signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified,” Barbabella added.
ABOUT THE AUTHORYash Nitish BajajYash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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