In Davos on Thursday, a prominent bruise appeared on the back of President Donald Trump’s left hand, raising questions about how the injury occurred amid increasing scrutiny of his overall health.
The discoloration — a deep purple, blue and red mark — was visible as Trump addressed world leaders at a signing ceremony for the newly formed Board of Peace, an advisory group established to oversee Gaza as part of a fragile ceasefire aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas war.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Trump “hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise.” An MS NOW review of video footage from the ceremony could not identify a moment when such an incident occurred, although it is possible the injury happened off-camera.
A White House official, who spoke with MS NOW and requested anonymity to discuss the president’s health, pointed to photos from the day prior, which “clearly show[ed] no bruising” on the president’s hand. Other photos and videos from earlier in the event appear to show that the president did not have the discoloration when he walked into the signing ceremony room.
The White House has repeatedly noted that the president’s hand is susceptible to bruising due to his daily aspirin use and frequent hand-shaking, and various photographs in recent months have shown discoloration on his hands. Thursday’s photos, however, showed bruising on Trump’s left hand rather than his right hand.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump takes 325 milligrams of aspirin every day despite the recommendations of doctors. The standard preventative dose of aspirin is around 80 milligrams, and higher doses are associated with increased bleeding risks.
During his speech Wednesday at Davos, Trump repeatedly referred to Greenland as “Iceland,” drawing fresh criticism from Democrats about the president’s mental acuity. Leavitt defended Trump on social media, writing on X that Trump’s “written remarks referred to Greenland as a ‘piece of ice’ because that’s what it is.”
At 79, Trump is the oldest person ever to be sworn in as president of the United States. Despite his own age, Trump has made the age of his predecessor and former rival, Joe Biden, a longstanding political issue, dubbing him “Sleepy Joe” and referring to Biden’s tenure in the White House as the “autopen presidency.”
Emily Hung and Lindsey Pipia contributed to this report.
Akayla Gardner is a White House correspondent for MS NOW.
Soorin Kim is a White House producer with MS NOW.