Donald Trump said he narrowly avoided a painful mishap during a White House press conference Tuesday, January 20, when a binder clip snapped shut as he removed it from a thick stack of papers.
The president, marking the one-year anniversary of his swearing-in for a second term, walked to the podium holding what he described as a list of his achievements. He said he didn’t want to read through all of it, then began undoing the clip securing the pages. As it sprang closed with a loud snap, Trump reacted with surprise.
“Woah,” the 79-year-old said, adding that he was “glad” his finger wasn’t caught in it. He then joked that it “could’ve done some damage,” but claimed he wouldn’t have shown any pain if it had.
“Boy, did you hear that? That was nasty,” he said, repeating that he would have acted as if nothing happened — even exaggerating that he would have kept going “as my finger fell off.” He also suggested, without offering details, that “someone did that.”
The moment comes as some observers have recently raised questions online about bruising visible on the back of Trump’s hands in public appearances, including instances where makeup appeared to cover discoloration. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has previously attributed the bruising to irritation from frequent handshaking and aspirin use.
In recent months, Trump has also been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. When asked whether his physician would provide more information, Leavitt said there was “nothing to hide,” adding that Trump continues to work without lifestyle changes.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Trump also displayed small laminated posters of people apprehended in Minnesota as part of a recent immigration crackdown. The posters were labeled “Minnesota, Worst of Worst,” and included a mugshot and a brief description of an alleged crime. As he read from one, Trump described an individual as responsible for “international murder,” though the poster reportedly said “intentional murder.”
He drew criticism online as he condemned one deportee’s “24 convictions,” emphasizing that they were convictions rather than charges. Critics pointed out that Trump has 34 felony convictions that he is currently appealing, stemming from a case involving falsifying business records related to a scheme alleged to have concealed extramarital affairs ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
