President Donald Trump said he takes a higher daily dose of aspirin than his doctors recommend, attributing the visible bruising on his hands to the medication as renewed questions swirl about his health.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Thursday, the 79-year-old president said he prefers a stronger dose because he believes it helps his 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. Does that make sense?”
Trump acknowledged that his doctors would prefer he take a lower dose but said he has taken the larger one for years. “What it does do is it causes bruising,” he added.
The conversation came after Trump learned the newspaper was preparing a story about his health. It amounted to one of his most detailed discussions with reporters on the subject in recent years, as attention has grown around his age, fitness for office, and the level of detail he has released about his medical condition.
Bruising on Trump’s right hand has been visible for some time and predates his return to the White House, according to CNN. It has drawn renewed attention after the president began covering it with makeup or bandages and shielding it from cameras. Observers have also pointed to swelling in his legs and moments at public events when he appeared to close his eyes for extended periods.
Following publication of the interview, Trump addressed the issue again on Truth Social, saying White House doctors have declared him to be in “PERFECT HEALTH.”
The remarks underscore how closely Trump has guarded his health image, particularly after he spent much of the 2024 campaign attacking former President Joe Biden over age and fitness concerns.
Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, told the Journal that the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily. According to Mayo Clinic, a low-dose aspirin regimen—commonly recommended to help prevent heart attack or stroke—ranges from 75 to 100 milligrams, with 81 milligrams often advised. Mayo Clinic also notes that aspirin therapy can range up to 325 milligrams per day.
While aspirin can reduce the risk of blood clots, it also raises the risk of bleeding. In recent years, medical guidelines have moved away from recommending daily aspirin for many adults, particularly older patients, because the risks may outweigh the benefits.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor at George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences and a former cardiologist to Vice President Dick Cheney, said the explanations offered so far leave unanswered questions.
“It’s uncommon to see that kind of bruising with one aspirin a day,” Reiner said. “My question is, ‘Does the president take any medications that have not been disclosed by the White House?’”
Barbabella said Thursday that Trump “remains in exceptional health,” citing medical evaluations and laboratory results that he said show excellent metabolic and cardiovascular health.
Over a series of appearances last week, Trump showed discoloration or light bruising on the back of his left hand as well, in addition to the longer-standing bruise on his right hand. The White House has previously attributed the bruising to frequent handshaking combined with aspirin use.
Reiner noted that while 325 milligrams daily is not an extreme dose, there is little medical justification for taking that amount on a long-term basis. He said 81 milligrams is typically prescribed because it provides protection against clotting with a lower bleeding risk.
“The big issue here is transparency,” Reiner said. “All of these issues just highlight how opaque the White House has been about the president’s health.”
Trump also addressed medical imaging he underwent in October, which he had initially described as an MRI. In the Journal interview, he clarified that it was a CT scan. Barbabella later said the scan was performed to rule out cardiovascular issues. A memo released last month stated that imaging of Trump’s cardiovascular and abdominal systems showed normal results, though a coronary CT scan in 2018 indicated moderate heart disease.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s disclosures, saying the president has received advanced imaging and that additional details were shared directly by Trump.
The president also discussed treatment for swelling in his lower legs, which the White House announced in July was due to chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in older adults. Trump said he tried compression socks but did not like them and expressed little interest in regular exercise, calling it boring.
Asked about moments when he appeared to nod off at public events, Trump said he was not sleeping. “I’ll just close [my eyes]. It’s very relaxing to me,” he said, adding that photos sometimes capture him mid-blink. He also downplayed concerns about his hearing, saying he only has difficulty when many people are talking at once.
Before and after his election, Trump frequently questioned Biden’s fitness for office. Biden ultimately exited the 2024 race after a widely criticized debate performance that intensified scrutiny of his health and ability to serve.
