'Constantly shaking hands': White House on Trump's hand bandages; calls Oval Office 'Grand Central Terminal'

Donald Trump’s press secretary offered a new explanation for the bandages and sticking plasters that have recently appeared on the president’s hands, after weeks of speculation about his health.

Social media and observers in general noticed dark purple bruising on Trump’s right hand, which he often tries to hide with makeup concealer that rarely matches his skin tone. But the switch to plasters in recent weeks raised more questions about POTUS's health.


Speaking at a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed any concerns, stating that the markings were simply a result of Trump’s packed schedule and his frequent handshaking.

“The president is literally constantly shaking hands,” she said. “The Oval Office is like Grand Central terminal. He is meeting with more people than any of you know about on a daily basis.”

Leavitt said that Trump is on a daily aspirin regimen, which she revealed has been noted in previous medical reports to cause bruising. “He’s also on a daily aspirin regimen which is something his physical examinations have said in the past can contribute to that bruising that you see,” she said.

Leavitt was also pressed to clarify when Trump took the three cognitive tests he claims to have “aced,” but she said she did not have the dates available and would provide them later.

The comments follow a ranting session from Trump on Truth Social earlier this week, which was directed at a New York Times report suggesting that the 79-year-old president may be slowing down. Trump insisted he had just taken another “Cognitive Examination” in front of “large numbers of doctors and experts” and said that he “ACED” it.

He accused the newspaper of spreading falsehoods about his physical and mental health. “Despite all of this, the time and work involved, The New York Times, and some others, like to pretend that I am ‘slowing up,’ am maybe not as sharp as I once was, or am in poor physical health, knowing that it is not true,” he said.

“I will know when I am ‘slowing up,’ but it’s not now!” he added, before claiming that such reporting was “seditious, perhaps even treasonous.”