The White House has moved to shut down online speculation after fresh images of bruising on Donald Trump’s hand went viral this week, once again drawing public attention to the US president’s health and appearance.
The 79-year-old, currently the oldest serving president in US history, was photographed with a prominent purplish bruise on the back of his left hand while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Social media users quickly began circulating close-up images, questioning both the cause of the mark and its noticeable change in appearance over the course of several days.
Trump’s Davos trip was already attracting headlines for a series of controversial moments. During his speech at the forum, the president outlined plans related to Greenland, though critics noted he repeatedly confused the territory with another country. He was also accused of causing offence with remarks about the Second World War, adding to what many described as a chaotic start to the week.
Despite the surrounding political noise, attention kept drifting back to Trump’s hands. The president has faced similar scrutiny before, with mystery marks and bruises on his hands widely reported last year. On previous occasions, the White House attributed the injuries to Trump’s famously forceful handshakes, while critics pointed to visible makeup that appeared to have been applied to conceal the marks.
This time, the administration offered a more specific explanation. According to CBS News producer Sara Cook, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the issue directly after being questioned by reporters. Leavitt reportedly said the bruise occurred during Trump’s “Board of Peace” signing event in Davos.
In a post shared on X, Cook quoted Leavitt as saying: “At the Board of Peace event today in Davos, President Trump hit his hand in the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise.” A White House official also noted that Trump’s long-term use of aspirin may have worsened the appearance of the injury.
Trump has previously acknowledged that he takes a higher-than-recommended dose of aspirin—325mg daily—rather than the standard 81mg typically advised by doctors. He told The Wall Street Journal that he has followed this routine for roughly 25 years, claiming it helps with blood circulation.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump said. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart.”
The president has also openly discussed using makeup to cover bruises when they appear, explaining that he keeps supplies on hand in case his hands get “whacked” during public events.
“I have makeup that’s easy to put on, takes about 10 seconds,” Trump previously said, addressing criticism over the visible cosmetic cover-ups.
While the White House insists the latest bruise is harmless, the images have once again fueled debate online, with critics questioning transparency and supporters dismissing the reaction as overblown. For now, the administration maintains there is nothing more to the story than an unfortunate knock against a table—and a president prone to bruising.
