Trump appears with bandaged hand for seventh day amid speculations about his health

MOUNT POCONO, PENNSYLVANIA: President Donald Trump has been seen wearing a bandage on his right hand for several days, sparking speculation about its cause. Trump appeared at a Pennsylvania rally on Tuesday, December 9, to address the rising cost of living, but attention remained on his hand.

A medical report previously released on July 17 said Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. The condition means the veins in his legs are not effectively returning blood to the heart. Even Karoline Leavitt commented about the patch during a press meet. 

Trump continues wearing hand bandage into a new week 

Trump, 79, headed to Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, with a bandage on his right hand, keeping up a streak that began a week ago. The bandage was camouflaged to nearly match his skin tone, making it almost invisible during the rally.

He was first seen with two bandages on the back of his hand during a lengthy Cabinet meeting. In recent days, he has been wearing just one. The White House has not explained why the president continues to use the bandages. They appear over layers of flesh-colored makeup, seemingly applied to cover persistent bruising.

White House addresses questions over Trump’s hand bandage

The White House last week offered its standard explanation when asked about the bandages on Trump’s right hand. Officials pointed to the demands of his public schedule. 

“President Trump is a man of the people, and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands daily than any other President in history,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. 

“His commitment is unwavering, and he proves that every single day," she added. The administration said the bruising under Trump’s bandages comes from “minor soft tissue irritation” linked to his frequent handshakes. Officials also said his daily aspirin routine, described as a “standard cardiovascular prevention regime,” can make bruising more visible.

Trump has recently been seen trying to keep the marks out of sight. During a Cabinet meeting last week, he appeared with two bandages on the back of his right hand, raising eyebrows about his ongoing questions about his health.

During his recent appearance in the Oval Office, where he welcomed the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees to present their medals, Trump was again seen wearing the same type of bandage on his right hand. He continued to wear it later that evening at the State Department’s Kennedy Center Honors dinner.

For those who may not know, the president’s most recent physical drew renewed attention after it emerged that he had undergone an MRI, a detail the White House initially left out. His physician later described the scan as routine and preventive, though some medical experts have raised doubts about that claim.