Donald Trump was once again caught covering up his right hand while speaking from the Oval Office, sparking fresh speculation about his health. The moment came on Monday during his announcement that he was sending the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, a month after deploying troops to Washington, DC.
Viewers quickly noticed Trump’s left hand stayed clamped over his right throughout the speech, the same hand where a noticeable bruise has been seen for weeks. “Last three appearances at the desk left hand glued over back of right entire time,” one person wrote on X. Another added that Trump “doesn’t make a lot of hand gestures anymore.”
The discoloration, often described as a dark purple mark, has been visible during several public appearances. According to The Mirror US, Trump has even tried using makeup to mask the bruise.
This wasn’t the first time he was spotted hiding it. Just last week, during a national address on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Trump kept his right hand out of view in a similar way.
In that four-minute message, Trump blamed Kirk’s killing on “radical left” terrorism. “It’s long past time for all Americans, and the media, to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonising those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most despicable way possible,” he said. Trump went on to argue that rhetoric comparing conservatives to Nazis or mass murderers is fueling violence.
The White House has brushed off concerns about the bruising. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously explained it as the result of frequent handshakes with world leaders like Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. She also revealed Trump is on “aspirin therapy.”
“Recent photos of the president have shown minor bruising on the back of his hand. This is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen,” Leavitt said back in August. “This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy. The president remains in excellent health, which I think all of you witness on a daily basis here.”
Still, the fact that Trump keeps visibly guarding his hand hasn’t gone unnoticed. The timing is especially striking, coming just as a high threat alert was issued ahead of his state visit to the UK. For now, the White House insists the president is in strong health, but every appearance where he shields that bruised hand only fuels more questions.