Karoline Leavitt explains Trump’s hand bandages: ‘He is literally, constantly shaking hands’

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House on Thursday, December 11, sought to tamp down renewed scrutiny over President Donald Trump’s visible health concerns, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attributing the bandages seen on the president’s hand to routine handshaking rather than any underlying medical treatment.

The clarification came amid growing public speculation following a series of recent appearances in which Trump, 79, has worn adhesive bandages and appeared fatigued.

The administration has previously blamed the president’s bruising on constant handshakes combined with a daily aspirin regimen, but had not explained the new bandages, fueling questions about whether Trump might be receiving intravenous treatments or managing additional conditions. 

Karoline Leavitt says Trump's bandages are from ‘constantly shaking hands’

Pressed about the shift from bruising to visible bandages, Leavitt insisted the cause remained unchanged. “The Oval Office is like Grand Central Terminal,” she said at Thursday’s briefing. “He is meeting with more people than any of you even know about on a daily basis. He’s also on a daily aspirin regime, which is something that his physical examinations have said in the past as well.” 

Trump has been seen wearing bandages during Cabinet meetings, at the Kennedy Center Honors, and at a Pennsylvania rally earlier this week.

Fatigue, swelling and cognitive tests draw broader health concerns

The bandage issue comes as Trump has also appeared to nod off during Oval Office and Cabinet meetings and increasingly drift off mid-sentence at public events. In addition, his swollen ankles have drawn attention, ultimately prompting the White House in July to reveal he has chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which veins struggle to return blood to the heart. 

Despite urging from reporters, the administration has been reluctant to discuss Trump’s prior MRIs, with news of those scans becoming public only after the president mentioned them himself aboard Air Force One.

Trump has also claimed this week that he has taken three cognitive exams, known as Montreal Cognitive Assessments, and “ACED all three of them,” though he has not specified when they occurred.

White House remains vague on timeline of Trump’s medical testing

Asked to clarify when the tests were administered, Leavitt responded that she would provide dates “at a later date,” adding that “the president has spoken about that quite extensively over the years.”

Trump had not publicly mentioned taking three cognitive tests until his Truth Social post this week, leaving uncertainty about whether any were conducted during his first term or if all occurred in 2025.

While the White House continues to insist Trump is in “excellent health,” the growing list of visible symptoms, shifting explanations, and unanswered medical questions is fueling ongoing debate about the president’s physical condition as he enters the second year of his second term.