Five things to know about the mysterious red marks on Donald Trump’s hand as he blames AI for them
5 things to know about mysterious red marks on Donald Trump's right palm
On Wednesday, January 17, former President Donald Trump was seen leaving his New York residence to attend witness testimony in magazine columnist E Jean Carroll's second defamation trial. When the MAGA figurehead waved to the crowd outside Trump Tower, observers noted the presence of mysterious red marks on his right index finger, thumb, and palm, although the origin and significance of these marks remain unknown.
Here are 5 assumptions on what the peculiar red blotches on Trump's right hand could be:
1. Speculations on Internet ran rife over possible health concerns surrounding the former POTUS
Netizens posited a slew of hypotheses on various social media platforms, with some claiming the red spots on Trump's hand to be early-stage symptoms of leprosy. Former Bill Clinton campaign consultant James Carville claimed Donald Trump had secondary syphilis, an STD, while far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones denied these conjectures, claiming the red blotches were simply "golfer's rash." Trump's campaign sources, however, refuted every speculation surrounding the red marks on his hand, stating they were from a simple paper cut and that the former president accidentally smeared blood on his hands, which went unnoticed when he stepped out on Wednesday.
2. Dermatologist throws a wrench in the works
Even though it's not easy to make a proper diagnosis based on a single photo of a skin condition, but Dr Joshua Zeichner, an associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, explained to Business Insider that Trump probably had a rash. This type of skin condition can be caused by almost anything, the dermatologist claimed, adding that the origin of the blotches could have been from something as unsuspecting as bug bites.
3. Trump's hands are too dry
The dermatologist also mentioned that hand rashes are commonly caused by dryness and overwashing, and that cold temperatures can also lead to dry skin. It suggests that Donald Trump's excessive handwashing could be a possible explanation for his reported hand rash, given that previously he has referred to himself as quite the 'germaphobe'.
4. Blisters from golfing too hard
Atleast Alex Jones can feel redeemed in this instance, as the dermatologist echoed the alt-right conspiracy theorist's initial claims surrounding the peculiar red marks on the former president's right palm to have been caused from golfing. Zeichner opined that blisters could be caused by "friction from activities like golf, weightlifting, or baseball," and considering Trump's love for the game as evidenced by his collection of the most iconic golf properties and championship courses in the world, this could also be a plausible scenario.
5. Trump plays coy and blames it all on AI instead
On Wednesday, January 31, Fox News correspondent Mark Meredith asked Trump about the state of his hands; the former President appeared perplexed by the question but proceeded to hold up both hands to show they were clean. To his surprise, when Meredith asked him about the viral photo showing three red marks on his hand, he responded, "No. What was wrong with it?" When he pressed him further about what it might have been, Trump playfully replied, "Nothing. Maybe it's AI."
