A strategically placed “Gulf of America” hat shielded bruising on President Donald Trump’s right hand during an Oval Office photo opportunity on Tuesday.
The president rested his left hand over the injured one while the MAGA-style hat sat on the Resolute Desk. He was joined by members of Alabama’s congressional delegation as he announced that the state would host the new headquarters of the U.S. Space Command.
The display came after several days of speculation over Trump’s health. His weekend absence from public view sparked a wave of commentary online, with many noting that the 79-year-old appeared tired and lacked his characteristic orange-tinged complexion when he reemerged.
On Tuesday, Trump also appeared to wear makeup on his bruised hand, a tactic he has used in the past. The White House declined to answer questions from The Daily Beast about whether the placement of the hat was intentional.
Officials have previously attributed the bruising to frequent handshakes. They have also cited Trump’s use of aspirin as part of what they describe as a “standard cardiovascular prevention regime.”
The photo released by the White House was not the first instance in which the administration has obscured signs of the president’s physical struggles. Last month, during Oval Office meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, official photos showed models of Air Force One positioned on coffee tables that blocked views of Trump’s swollen ankles.
In July, the White House announced that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that impedes blood flow from the legs to the heart. The diagnosis followed a series of appearances in which observers noted the president walking stiffly and showing signs of swelling.
Addressing the issue directly on Tuesday, Trump dismissed concerns about his health as unfounded. “Last week, I did numerous news conferences—all successful. They went very well, like this is going very well,” Trump told reporters. “And then I didn’t do any for two days, and they said, ‘There must be something wrong with him.’ Biden wouldn’t do them for months. You wouldn’t see him, and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him, and we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape.”
Despite the president’s dismissal of speculation, questions about his condition persist, fueled by the administration’s careful management of official imagery. For now, the debate over his health continues to shadow Trump as he seeks to project strength both at home and abroad.