President Donald Trump raised new questions about his health on Monday, March 2, 2026, after photographers captured a red, scabbed-over rash on the right side of his neck during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House.
The 79-year-old president’s unexplained skin issue, also visible during his State of the Union address last Tuesday, has revived debates about his ability to serve. The irritated area stretched from beneath his jaw to the side of his neck, with scabbing visible beneath his ear. Photos from a Board of Peace meeting on February 19 displayed early signs of the redness.
Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, issued a carefully phrased statement that seemed to prompt more confusion than clarity. “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,” Barbabella told The Daily Beast.
The White House would not clarify what the cream is supposed to prevent, baffling medical specialists. Critics also questioned why, if the product is preventative, the symptoms on his neck appear so pronounced. In Trump’s April 2025 physical, Barbabella reported that the president used mometasone cream “as needed” for an unspecified skin issue.
The ambiguous explanation ignited widespread online speculation. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office posted an image showing Trump’s neck irritation accompanied by eye emojis. Some commenters wondered whether the rash could be a reaction to Fluorouracil, an anti–skin cancer medication known as 5-FU.
Redness was also visible during Trump’s trip to Corpus Christi on Friday, February 27, where he appeared next to actor Dennis Quaid. By Monday’s White House ceremony, the irritation looked much more severe, with the skin appearing flaky and scabbed.
Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and medical analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, criticized the administration’s explanation, saying on social media that calling the cream “preventative” was “nonsensical.”
Potential explanations for such rashes include contact dermatitis caused by shaving products or cologne, razor irritation, allergic responses, heat rash, or friction from clothing. Viral infections like shingles can also produce localized rashes, though no official diagnosis has been disclosed.
This unexplained neck irritation adds to a growing list of health questions surrounding Trump. In February 2025, photographers noticed dark bruising on his hand, partially covered by makeup. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the marks came from extensive handshaking, claiming Trump “meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other president in history.”
In July 2025, images showed swelling around Trump’s ankles and lower legs as he sat between First Lady Melania Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey. The White House later confirmed he had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common circulation issue in older adults that leads to leg swelling.
The administration has also been criticized for its limited transparency regarding Trump’s medical status. Last October, the White House failed to mention that Trump underwent a CT scan at Walter Reed until Trump revealed it himself while speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One. Until then, officials had released only a one-page memo referencing “advanced imaging.” The administration later confirmed the scan examined his heart and abdomen.
Trump’s cognitive sharpness has been questioned as well. The president has occasionally appeared to nod off at events and often mixes up names or dates. During Monday’s Medal of Honor ceremony, he mentioned the war in Iran before abruptly shifting to comments about gold curtains and expansion plans for the White House.
In an interview published January 1, 2026, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he takes aspirin daily as a blood thinner, using a 325-milligram dose — four times the usual 81-milligram recommendation. Officials have cited this as a factor in his frequent bruising.
Trump was 78 years and 7 months old when inaugurated in January 2025, making him the oldest individual to assume the presidency. While he maintains he is in “great shape” for his age, his mounting medical issues have drawn comparisons to the scrutiny directed at his predecessor, Joe Biden.
As images of the irritated skin continued circulating online, the White House’s resistance to offering more complete medical information has only intensified speculation over what the public may not be learning about the president’s health.
