President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office as the 47th President of the United States in January 2025. In a short period of time, he has been signing executive orders left, right, and centre—some of which have been deemed very controversial.
Discover our latest podcast
He has also been actively meeting with other world leaders, and most recently welcomedFrench President Emmanuel Macron to the White House on Monday, February 24.
Naturally, their meeting was the talk of the town, with many reporting on their discussions. Photos and videos of the event have been making the rounds, but eagled-eyed viewers spotted something rather out of the ordinary on Donald Trump's hand.
Indeed, the POTUS had a large bruise on his hand which sparked conversation. So much so that the White House quickly responded to the matter to prevent any misleading speculation.
President Donald Trump’s bruise explained
As mentioned above, President Trump, who won a settlement from Meta, was spotted with a rather large bruise on the back of his right hand.
The White House swiftly shared a statement explaining the cause of the bruise, as the attention it garnered was significant.
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the President’s bruise is due to regularly shaking hands with people, as he ‘meets more Americans’ than any other president. Leavitt said in a statement, as reported by Sky News:
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.
President Trump has bruises on his hand because he's constantly working and shaking hands all day, every day.
Many netizens have reacted to the photos of his bruising, and some of them have pointed out that bruising is more common as you age. One X user said:
To be fair my grandma also has bruises on her hands at age 79 and has had them for years. It’s just something that happens when you're old and trump is OLD.
While another said:
...elderly people bruise more easily than younger folks. Trump is 78. He could have gotten that in any number of ways.
President Donald Trump’s age could be a factor
Indeed, it is well known that the older people get, the more ‘fragile’ they become and according to the Mayo Clinic, the elderly are far more likely to bruise than younger people.
For older people, their skin becomes thinner, and for some, they lose the ‘protective fatty layer that helps cushion blood vessels from injury’. Moreover, some people are more prone to bruising than others.
The Mayo Clinic explains:
Generally, harder blows cause larger bruises. But if you bruise easily, even a small bump may cause a large bruise.
Some people tend to bruise more easily than others. And as people get older, the skin becomes thinner. It also loses some of the protective fatty layer that helps cushion blood vessels from injury.
Read more:
Donald Trump responds to claims in Michael Wolff's book All or Nothing: 'A total fake job'
Donald Trump announces end to congestion pricing with bold statement: ‘Long Live The King’
Sources used:
Sky News: ‘Large bruise on Trump's hand prompts speculation over health - but White House blames 'shaking hands'
The Independent: ‘Questions swirl after Trump is pictured with large bruises on his hands’
The Mayo Clinic: ‘Easy bruising: Why does it happen?’
