When you’re the President of the United States, every move you make is bound to be scrutinized. In New York this week, Donald Trump added fuel to the ongoing rumor mill when cameras caught him at the U.S. Open with what looked like a little blue tablet clamped between his teeth. One photo, snapped by photographer Andres Kudacki, was all it took to send social media into overdrive with speculation about what exactly the 79-year-old was taking.
The picture, taken courtside during the tennis event, quickly made the rounds online. Kudacki himself initially posted on X that Trump was “taking a tablet,” but later admitted to The Daily Beast that he couldn’t say for sure what the object was. “I don’t know what it was specifically. I said it was a ‘tablet’ as that works for both, a mint or a tablet,” he clarified, adding that Trump was “very discreet” in the way he handled it. That discretion, of course, only made the internet chatter louder.
And chatter there was. New York may be home to some of the biggest tennis fans in the world, but it seems the stands were buzzing more about Trump’s mystery chew than the match. Online theories flew fast and furious: one commenter suggested it looked like Lexapro, a medication sometimes used for Alzheimer’s-related agitation.
Donald Trump Spotted Taking Blue Pill-Like Tablet In New York
Another insisted it resembled a Valium. A third tossed in Adderall as a possibility. On the less scandalous side, some thought it could simply be a Wintergreen Altoid mint, while others speculated it might be Hygroton, a blood pressure and edema medication.
The theories about Hygroton struck a chord because Trump’s health has been a topic of debate for months. Reports have pointed to his struggles with swollen ankles—what critics have nicknamed his “cankles”—and his tendency to avoid standing for long stretches.
According to The New York Times, Trump even prefers holding meetings in the Oval Office rather than larger spaces, partly to minimize the time he’s on his feet. Add in sightings of bruises on his hands and his occasional lapses in memory during public appearances, and it’s no wonder his detractors are quick to assume the worst.
During a September 4 tech meeting with big names like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, Trump seemed confused when asked about speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Turning to his wife, Melania, he asked, “What did… what?” She whispered the question back to him before he offered a halting response. For critics already convinced he’s showing signs of dementia, it was just another red flag.
Another Social Media Frenzy
Of course, not everyone is buying the doom-and-gloom theories. Vice President JD Vance has been quick to defend his boss, insisting to USA Today that Trump remains in “incredibly good health” with “incredible energy.” But skeptics point out that Vance, at 41, might simply be doing his best to project loyalty while waiting in the wings.
“This is exactly what he wants. People to talk about him. He did it for the cameras,” one person commented on X. “The problem is lighting. It might not even be blue. It’s impossible to say what it is,” another pointed out. “This is honestly so dumb,” a third wrote.
Whether the Donald Trump blue pill moment in New York was nothing more than a mint or something far more telling, the timing couldn’t be worse for a man who’s already under intense scrutiny. Between questions about his stamina, memory, and visible health changes, even something as small as a breath freshener can become a viral scandal. The photo of Trump’s mysterious blue chew is yet another reminder that, in the court of public opinion, the president’s health remains the headline match everyone’s watching.
Kenna Raye 
