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By Andrew Stanton and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump responded to a question about a new bruise on his left hand after photos garnered attention on social media while he attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday.
Asked by a reporter about visible bruising on his hand, Trump said on Air Force One he was fine and attributed it to "clipping" a table. He said he treated it with a topical cream and suggested the mark was also related to his use of aspirin.
Trump said doctors had told him he did not need to take the "big" aspirin because of his health, but he chose to continue doing so as a precaution. He added that bruising can be a side effect of what he described as a higher-dose aspirin regimen.
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The president remarked on his return flight to the U.S., "The doctors said, 'You don’t have to take that, sir. You are very healthy.' I said, 'I’m not taking any chances.' 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. Some questions have emerged about his advancing age, and there have been instances of Trump being seen with bruising in recent months. Trump, however, has maintained that he is in perfect health.
What to Know
Photographs taken on Thursday appear to show Trump with a bruise on his left hand, which Leavitt noted was from hitting his hand on the corner of a table. A White House official noted that the president is susceptible to hand bruising due to his daily aspirin regime.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the photos in a statement to Newsweek.
“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,” she said.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he takes a higher dose of aspirin than his doctors recommend in an interview about his health—about 325 mg per day.
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"They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?" he told the Journal.
Photographs reported by The Telegraph showed that in the early afternoon, Trump’s bruise was on full display. However, by about 12:58 p.m., he had appeared to put makeup on to conceal the bruising, the publication’s photo showed.
The photographs raised eyebrows 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.
The White House has dismissed concerns about Trump’s health.
In July, Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, reported a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency—described as a benign and common circulatory condition among older adults—and detailed recent vascular studies as part of a comprehensive examination
He said Trump remains in “excellent overall health” and has no cardiovascular issues.
Trump told the Journal that his health is “perfect.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social: "The White House Doctors have just reported that I am in 'PERFECT HEALTH' and that I 'ACED' (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my Cognitive Examination, something which no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take. P.S., I strongly believe that anyone running for President, or Vice President, should be mandatorily forced to take a strong, meaningful, and proven Cognitive Examination. Our great Country cannot be run by “STUPID” or INCOMPETENT PEOPLE! President DJT."
Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist at Dartmouth University, responded to the photos 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, wrote to X: “Thin blood and even thinner skin.”
What Happens Next
Scrutiny of Trump’s health may persist amid the ongoing debate about the health of political leaders. The 2024 election, which first appeared to be a rematch between Trump and former President Joe Biden before his exit from the race, drew calls for a new generation of leadership as critics scrutinized the ages of both men.
Updates: 1/22/26, 6:35 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks. The headline was updated to reflect President Trump's latest remarks.
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