Five things to know about the mysterious red marks on Donald Trump’s hand as he blames AI for them

Trump seemed disinterested in disclosing the origin of the mysterious red marks, and instead played coy and blamed it on AI when confronted
PUBLISHED FEB 3, 2024
Former President Donald Trump isn't too keen on divulging the origin of the mysterious red marks which appeared on his right palm and fingers in January (Getty Images)
Former President Donald Trump isn't too keen on divulging the origin of the mysterious red marks which appeared on his right palm and fingers in January (Getty Images)

5 things to know about mysterious red marks on Donald Trump's right palm

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 16: U.S. President Donald J. Trump speaks to the press during a news conf
Former U.S. President Donald Trump was at the epicentre of Internet speculation last month when he was pictured leaving Trump Tower with mysterious red marks on his right palm and fingers. (Getty Images)

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

(Inside Edition/YouTube)
As the 77-year-old Republican presidential frontrunner waved his hand to a gathering of his supporters outside Trump Tower, people noticed strange red blotches on his right index finger, thumb, and palm (Inside Edition/YouTube)

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

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12:  TV Personality Donald Trump attends the
Many speculated the absolute worse for Donald Trump, with some contending that the former President has contracted an STD, to many positing that the marks were wounds from him falling to the ground. (Getty Images)

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

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 22: President Donald Trump listens to the opening prayer during Air Force Technical Sergeant John Chapman's Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House August 22, 2018 in Washington, DC. Chapman was killed March 4, 2002 during a battle in Afghanistan. After his helicopter came under heavy fire and crashed, Chapman and other team members returned to the snow-capped mountain to rescue a stranded service member. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Former President Donald Trump is a self-proclaimed 'germaphobe' which led many to believe that the red marks were simply rashes caused by excessively dry hands. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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

ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND - JUNE 25:  Presumptive Republican nominee for US president Donald Trump visits T
Presumptive Republican nominee for US president, Donald Trump, loves to golf at his many properties around the country and the world, and blisters from golf club swinging could point to another reason behind the mysterious red marks on his right hand. (Getty Images)

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

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 22: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a meeting with the Prime Minister of
Donald Trump keeps everybody guessing by refusing to disclose the real reason behind the mysterious red spots himself, and instead jumping on the bandwagon to blame all of it on Artificial Intelligence  (Getty Images)

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."

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