President Donald Trump’s latest public appearance at the White House has put the spotlight back on his health after observers noticed what appeared to be a large bruise covered with makeup on his hand.
During a roundtable discussion about drug-trafficking and counterterrorism efforts, the bruise was visible beneath a makeup patch. The White House said the mark was related to chronic venous insufficiency, a diagnosis Trump received several months earlier, combined with frequent handshakes and his daily use of aspirin.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously explained that the condition had caused “tissue damage” on Trump’s hands, which was made worse by constant public engagements.
Concerns about the president’s hands and swollen ankles have persisted despite repeated assurances from his medical team.
Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, recently mentioned in an Instagram post that her grandfather had been dealing with a bruise on his hand since November, before his return to the White House. A photograph she shared from election night in 2024 also showed a makeup-covered mark on his hand.
At the same event, Trump hosted a roundtable to showcase the achievements of his National Security Task Forces, established on his first day in office. The meeting, attended by Attorney General Pam Bondi and senior officials, was framed as a progress report on federal and local cooperation against drug cartels and human trafficking networks.
Trump praised what he called the task force’s “historic achievements,” stating that it had participated in over 3,000 arrests, including members of several major trafficking gangs.
He criticised previous administrations for what he described as “weak” border policies, claiming they had allowed “cartels to take over” and brought in “people from mental institutions and prisons.”
When asked about a symbolic vote in the Israeli parliament regarding the annexation of the West Bank, Trump replied, “Don’t worry about the West Bank. Israel’s not going to do anything with the West Bank.”
Vice President JD Vance, who was visiting Israel on Thursday, took a different view, describing the Knesset vote as an “insult” and inconsistent with the Trump administration’s policies.