Seth Meyers trolls Trump after WH pins blame for his bruised hands on handshakes: 'He's basically a plum'

WASHINGTON, DC: Seth Meyers couldn't resist taking a jab at Donald Trump after the White House offered a curious explanation for the bruises seen on the president’s hand. 

During his ‘Late Night’ monologue on Tuesday, July 22, Meyers joked that Trump was “basically a plum” following a statement from the White House claiming the bruising was caused by frequent handshakes and constant contact with people. The bizarre reasoning quickly became comedy fuel for the late-night host.

Seth Meyers mocks White House statement about Trump’s bruised hands

During his 'Late Night' monologue, NBC host Seth Meyers mocked the White House’s recent statement regarding Donald Trump’s health, particularly the bruising seen on his hands.

The official explanation described the marks as “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking.” The statement followed online speculation after a photo circulated showing what appeared to be light makeup covering Trump’s hands.

Meyers found the contradiction amusing. “And I just love that his followers have to somehow reconcile this idea that he’s this powerful, strong man, but also he gets bruises if you touch him,” he joked. “He’s the indestructible savior of America, but also he’s basically a plum.”

Later in the segment, Meyers also mocked Trump’s social media post marking six months since his presidency, in which Trump claimed “time flies.”

Meyers wasn’t buying it. “Does it, though?” he asked. “It’s only been six months of this campaign, but we already did four years of you. And even when you weren’t president, you were still the president of every news cycle.”

At that point, a photo of former President Joe Biden flashed on screen as Meyers continued, “It feels like you’ve been president forever. I think it goes Washington, Jefferson, Adams and then you.”

Internet shares theories on Trump’s bruised hands after Seth Meyers jokes about it

Seth Meyers' jab at Trump’s bruised hand sparked a wave of online reactions, with many social media users sharing their own theories about the president’s injury

One user wrote, "Trump is suffering the same fate as most older people and his poor diet and lack of exercise have exacerbated his declining physical condition. He undoubtedly has high blood pressure too. The "handshake" excuse is lame and was quickly debunked. Trump is not, and has never been, a tough guy."

A person stated, "I've never heard of anyone getting bruised by handshakes or is so (literally) thin skinned they had a need to use concealer to cover it up."

Another user commented, "Not from too many handshakes but his age...he's 79. I saw it happen to my parents and grandparents. It's called aging. It happens to everyone."

A user explained, "Queen Elizabeth 2 shook more hands than Trump when she was in her 90s and didn't bruise like him." An individual strongly shared, "He didn't get that by shaking hands. Get real. Maybe he bumped it or something else. But not shaking hands."

One user mocked, "Poor little man, maybe he needs to take up a new profession."

The last user added, "Funny thing how they're losing their sh**t0ver bruises on Trump's hand but yet nobody cared about President Biden's completely obvious and serious mental decline over the last decade."

White House confirms Trump's diagnosis of chronic vein condition

The White House confirmed on Thursday that Donald Trump had been diagnosed with a chronic vein condition, following days of speculation over photos showing bruises on the president’s hand. According to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump recently experienced leg swelling and underwent a comprehensive medical evaluation, including vascular testing.

Leavitt explained that the bruising on Trump’s hand was consistent with “tissue damage from frequent handshaking,” which was likely worsened by his use of aspirin, "part of a standard cardio-vascular prevention regimen."

At 79, Trump has frequently promoted his physical fitness, once declaring himself “the healthiest president that's ever lived.” However, doctors have now diagnosed him with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which the leg veins fail to properly return blood to the heart, leading to blood pooling in the lower limbs and causing swelling.

Dr Meryl Logan, an assistant professor of vascular surgery at the University of Texas at Austin, told the BBC that veins and valves in the legs are responsible for pushing blood back to the heart, working against gravity. “So what chronic venous insufficiency is, is when those veins and valves don't work and blood goes backwards down the legs,” she explained.

A medical note from White House physician Dr Sean Barbabella further confirmed the diagnosis, calling the condition “benign and common,” especially in individuals over 70.

Barbabella also reported no signs of heart failure, kidney issues, or systemic illness. Overall, he concluded, Trump remains in “excellent health.”

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