White House blames Trump's bandaged hand on handshakes
US President Donald Trump wears adhesive bandages on the back of his hand during a meeting of his cabinet in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Dec 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (File photo: Getty Images via AFP/Chip Somodevilla)
WASHINGTON: The White House said on Thursday (Dec 11) the high volume of handshakes by United States President Donald Trump explains the adhesive bandages he has worn on the back of his right hand in recent days.
His spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt reiterated a response she gave months ago after the 79-year-old president was seen with a bruise on his right hand covered by a thick layer of makeup.
"As for the bandages on the hand, we've also given you an explanation for that," Leavitt told reporters.
"In the past, the president is literally constantly shaking hands," she said.
"He's also on a daily aspirin regimen, which is something his physical examinations has said in the past as well, which can contribute to the bruise that you see," she added.
As the oldest president ever elected in the US, Trump has fiercely defended his personal health, contrasting that with his predecessor Joe Biden, whom Trump claims was losing his faculties to the point of being unable to govern by the end of his term.
Trump posted a long message defending his health on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday night, calling investigations by news organisations into his physical fitness as equivalent to "sedition, maybe even treason".
In October, Trump underwent a medical examination, including an MRI scan, and his doctor reported the president was in excellent health.
