‘Bruises spread’: Report reveals alarming claims about Trump’s ‘hole in hand’

WASHINGTON, DC: The questions about President Donald Trump’s health aren’t fading quietly, especially when the Drudge Report is on the case.

In recent months, Trump has been spotted in public sporting visible bruising on his hand. Lately, concerns have doubled with the President appearing at events showing marks on both hands.

Renewed concerns about Trump's bruising

The latest flare-up came Sunday when Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Mar-a-Lago. Observers quickly noticed that Trump appeared to be wearing different shades of concealer on each hand.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rushed in with an explanation, at least for one hand.

“President Trump is a man of the people, and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history. His commitment is unwavering, and he proves that every single day,” Leavitt told The Daily Beast for an article titled, “Trump’s Bruises Spread in Blow to Leavitt’s Handshake Claim.”

Notably, Leavitt did not explain the discoloration on Trump’s left hand.

Across the Atlantic, the UK’s Express reported concerns raised online, including a post from liberal commentator Aaron Rupar. “There appears to be a hole in Trump’s left hand," Rupar wrote, sharing images.

By Monday night, the Drudge Report plastered the issue front and center, splashing links under bold lines reading “BRUISES SPREAD” and “‘HOLE IN HAND’” alongside a photo of Trump’s hands.

Back in July, the White House attempted to put the matter to rest, announcing that Trump had been diagnosed with a chronic vein condition following speculation sparked by earlier photos of bruising on his hand.

White House reveals vein condition, doctor chimes in

Leavitt said Trump underwent a “comprehensive exam” after experiencing swelling in his legs, including vascular testing. She explained that Trump’s bruised hand was consistent with “tissue damage from frequent handshaking” while taking aspirin, which she said is “part of a standard cardio-vascular prevention regimen.”

Trump, now 79, has repeatedly touted his physical condition and once famously described himself as “the healthiest president that’s ever lived.”

The condition Trump was diagnosed with is called chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when leg veins struggle to pump blood back to the heart, allowing it to pool in the lower limbs and cause swelling.

“Veins and valves ‘propel the blood up and out of the leg’ and back toward the heart,” Dr Meryl Logan, an assistant professor of vascular surgery at the University of Texas at Austin, told the BBC.

Because blood must move upward against gravity, the process can become difficult. “So what chronic venous insufficiency is, is when those veins and valves don’t work, and blood goes backwards down the legs,” she said. 

At the time of the diagnosis, Leavitt emphasized there was “no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease” and said all test results were “within normal limits.” According to a note released by White House physician Sean Barbabella, the condition was described as “benign and common,” particularly in people over the age of 70.