President Donald Trump addressed questions Thursday about a visible bruise on his left hand after photos from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland circulated widely online.
Speaking on Air Force One during his return to the United States, Trump said he was fine and blamed the mark on accidentally hitting a table. He said he applied a topical cream and added that the bruising could also be linked to his aspirin use.
Trump explained that his doctors told him he didn’t need to take what he described as the “big” aspirin because of his health, but he chose to keep taking it as a precaution. He acknowledged bruising can be a side effect of higher-dose aspirin.
“The doctors said, ‘You don’t have to take that, sir. You are very healthy.’ I said, ‘I’m not taking any chances,’” Trump said. “That’s one of the side effects of taking aspirin.”
Why It Matters
Trump, 79, became the oldest person to take office as president in January 2024, and questions about his age and health have followed him. In recent months, he has also been photographed with bruising. Trump has repeatedly insisted he is in perfect health.
What to Know
Photographs taken Thursday appeared to show bruising on Trump’s left hand. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed it to the president hitting his hand on the corner of a signing table in Davos.
“At the Board of Peace event today in Davos, President Trump hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise,” Leavitt said in a statement to Newsweek.
A White House official also said Trump is susceptible to hand bruising because he takes aspirin daily.
Trump has discussed his aspirin use publicly. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, he said he takes a higher dose than his doctors recommend—about 325 mg per day—and described it as a measure he believes helps with blood thinning.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” he told the Journal. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
Photos reported by The Telegraph showed the bruise clearly visible earlier in the day. Later, another image suggested he may have used makeup to conceal it, according to the publication’s photo.
The images quickly drew reaction on social media.
“Trump’s left hand — not the one that is usually disfigured — now has a large bruise and is discolored These pictures are from today in Davos and are via Chip Somodevilla (Getty) and Fabrice Coffrini (AFP),” wrote journalist Aaron Rupar.
“So now a bruise on BOTH of Trump’s hands…from aspirin…and hand shaking… (Gotta be the secret handshake of Trump’s BORED OF PEACE),” wrote commentator Keith Olbermann.
Recent Health Disclosures
The White House has pushed back on speculation about Trump’s health. In July, Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, reported that the president had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency—described as a benign and common circulatory condition among older adults—and cited vascular studies conducted as part of a comprehensive exam. He said Trump remains in “excellent overall health” and has no cardiovascular issues.
Trump also told The Wall Street Journal that his health is “perfect.”
What People Are Saying
Trump wrote on Truth Social that White House doctors reported he is in “PERFECT HEALTH,” and said he “ACED” his cognitive examination for a third straight time. He also argued that candidates for president and vice president should be required to take “a strong, meaningful, and proven Cognitive Examination.”
Political scientist Brendan Nyhan of Dartmouth University criticized the attention around the photos while questioning Trump’s fitness, writing on X: “Reporters? This is the man with the nuclear codes and he is not well in so many obvious respects.”
Sarah Longwell, founder and publisher of The Bulwark, also weighed in on X: “Thin blood and even thinner skin.”
What Happens Next
The president’s health is likely to remain under scrutiny, especially as debate continues over the age and fitness of national political leaders. The 2024 election cycle renewed that debate as critics focused on the ages of both Trump and then-President Joe Biden before Biden exited the race.
