Dr. Sean Barbarella tells EW about the condition after the president drew reactions during a televised presentation.

Donald Trump debuts new skin condition during televised event, White House doctor offers explanation

Dr. Sean Barbarella tells EW about the condition after the president drew reactions during a televised presentation.

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes *RuPaul's Drag Race* video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

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March 2, 2026 2:57 p.m. ET

Donald Trump's skin condition on display at the White House. Credit:

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty

Donald Trump's neck is under scrutiny after the 79-year-old president debuted a concerning new skin condition during a televised Medal of Freedom event on Monday.

Trump — one of the oldest presidents in United States history — drew media reactions after photographers inside the White House event snapped images (below) that showed deep red marks on the right side of his neck, with a scaly patch on the outer layer of his skin.

When reached for comment, the White House provided ** with a statement on behalf of Dr. Sean Barbarella, a White House doctor reportedly treating Trump and his neck.

Donald Trump at a White House event for the 2026 Medal of Freedom presentation.

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty

"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," the statement reads. "The President is using this treatment for one week, and the redness is expected to last for a few weeks."

White House representatives did not immediately respond to EW's inquiry about what cream the president is using or the nature of the condition it's being used to treat.

Prominent Democrat and California Gov. Gavin Newsom's team quickly responded to images from the event that circulated online.**

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Newsom's press office shared a close-up image of Trump's neck on X, accompanied by a series of eyeball emojis honing in on the condition.

Trump's health has long been the subject of speculation, particularly after he and his supporters criticized President Joe Biden's health and age during the 2024 election cycle. Trump has maintained that he is healthy, with Dr. Barbarella previously saying in October 2025 that Trump was in "exceptional" condition.

Shortly before Monday's event, Trump was a hot topic of debate on *The View*'s Monday morning broadcast as well.

Donald Trump's skin condition draws concerns after televised White House appearance.

Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty

** As the talk show welcomed conservative panelist Elisabeth Hasselbeck back to the show as a fill-in cohost, legal expert and longtime Trump critic Sunny Hostin called her colleague out for voting for Trump in the last presidential election.

"I thought this was going to be the president of peace. I thought this president wanted to win a Nobel Peace Prize for peace. That is not what I'm seeing," Hostin said of Trump and Israel's recently launched offensive on Iran. "I'm not seeing 'America First.' I think people that voted for Trump — I was not one of them, I think you were — those people wanted 'America First.'"

The audience gasped as Hasselbeck smiled and replied, "I proudly voted for Trump because the alternative was not great, and we'd absolutely be under the wrong power if the alternative [was elected]."

See images of Trump's skin condition above.

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