Overview

• Photos on Monday, Aug. 25, showed a dark bruise on the back of President Trump’s right hand during an executive order signing and a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
• Trump at times kept his left hand over his right, following recent appearances where a conspicuous patch of makeup had covered the same area.
• Images from the prior weekend also showed a smaller bruise on his left hand, extending a months-long pattern of recurring marks documented in multiple public events.
• The White House and physician Sean Barbabella maintain the bruising is consistent with minor soft-tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and aspirin use, with July evaluations diagnosing chronic venous insufficiency and reporting normal Doppler, echocardiogram, and lab results.
• Officials have not addressed the visible use of makeup in medical updates, as online speculation about IV sites or congestive heart failure circulates without verification and prompts calls for more transparency.