Trump health update: Why POTUS has repeated bruises on his hand. White House answers

President Donald Trump sparked health concerns on Friday, after the 79-year-old was spotted with heavy makeup on his hand.

Published on: Aug 24, 2025, 02:58:24 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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President Donald Trump sparked health concerns on Friday, after the 79-year-old was spotted with heavy makeup on his hand. A large patch of what appeared to be foundation was visible when Trump visited an exhibit at the People’s House museum. He kept his left hand folded over his right as he spoke at the Oval Office, and the makeup was visible again.

President Trump's hand is seen as he speaks at "The People's House" (AFP)

This comes weeks after Trump's physician, Sean Barbabella, admitted that the president has had minor bruising on the back of his hand. “This is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen," he said.

The White House, however, clarified what causes this repeated bruising. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement on Friday, saying: “President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history. His commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day." The statement was made to the Independent.

This is not the first time that President Trump has used makeup to cover the bruises on his hand. After his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House in February, a similar patch was spotted. The makeup also appeared late in July when the 79-year-old met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland, and at a meeting with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

“Scrolling Getty and couldn't help but notice this photo of a huge bruise on Trump's hand today,” journalist Aaron Rupar pointed out on X, platform formerly known as Twitter, back then.

“That's the kind of IV bruise you get when you're on blood thinners. What are they pumping him with?” one X user reacted to Rupar's post.

White House physician Barbabella has already declared that Trump is in ‘excellent cognitive and physical health’. He added that Trump’s hand bruises could be from the aspirin he takes to prevent cardiovascular disease.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash 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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