A photograph of President Donald Trump appearing to hold a small blue tablet between his teeth during the U.S. Open men’s final on Sept. 7 has gone viral and prompted widespread online speculation about his health and what the object might have been.
The image, taken by Associated Press photographer Andres Kudacki while Trump watched the match between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in New York, shows the president seated with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt behind him. The match was delayed briefly because of security precautions surrounding the president’s attendance. Kudacki posted a caption with the image that read, "U.S. President Donald Trump takes a tablet as he watches the U.S. Open men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in New York," and told the Daily Beast he had hoped for a reaction from Trump, calling him "a big personality" and saying, "He was very discreet."
Social media users and commentators immediately offered competing explanations, ranging from breath mints to prescription medications. Some speculated the object was an over-the-counter mint such as an Altoids Smalls Wintergreen; others suggested it could be a pharmaceutical tablet, including medications used to treat high blood pressure and edema. X’s AI assistant GROK responded to a user inquiry by listing possibilities and concluding that the object was "unidentified," noting there was no official confirmation and that the photographer had expressed uncertainty.
Supporters of the president emphasized the plausibility of a mint, while critics used the image to renew questions about Trump’s recent visible bruising and swelling. In recent weeks, observers and some news outlets noted blotches on the president’s hand and swelling in his ankles. Last month, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, described it as a "common condition" in people over 70 and said the hand bruising was "consistent" with irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin. White House aides have attributed swollen ankles seen in public to that diagnosis.
The photo and the ensuing debate come amid heightened public scrutiny of the president’s health. After the bruising and swelling drew attention, Trump did not hold public events at the White House for several days; his staff said he spent the time away from cameras playing golf with family. The Daily Mail reported it had reached out to the White House for comment regarding the photo and received no immediate response.
The viral image illustrates how a single frame can spur rapid online conjecture in a politically charged environment. In the absence of official confirmation about the object, public accounts and automated services circulated multiple theories, while the photographer’s own remarks stressed uncertainty about what was photographed.