President Trump addresses new photos of bruising on his left hand, attributing it to hitting a table and citing aspirin use for heart health.
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump dismissed speculation over fresh bruising seen on his hand in new photographs.
The 79-year-old attributed the dark marks on his left hand to accidentally hitting a table.
“I clipped it on the table,” Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One when questioned about the bruising.
He added, “I would say, take aspirin if you like your heart, but don’t take aspirin if you don’t want to have a little bruising.”
The photographs were taken during an inaugural ceremony for his global “Board of Peace” initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
They quickly circulated on social media, showing bruising in a similar location to marks frequently seen on his right hand since he returned to the White House.
The White House has previously stated frequent handshaking and his aspirin regimen for cardiovascular health cause a proneness to bruising.
It offered the same explanation for this latest instance.
Photos from earlier in the Davos event and the previous day show no bruising on his left hand.
Speculation about Trump’s fitness has persisted due to his age, the hand bruising, swelling in his legs, and several apparent moments of dozing off in public.
His administration disclosed last summer that leg swelling was diagnosed as a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency.
This common condition involves faulty vein valves allowing blood to pool and can be managed with medication or procedures.
An unannounced hospital visit last year fueled further questions about transparency regarding his health.
Weeks after that visit, Trump’s doctor said an MRI showed the president was in “excellent” cardiovascular health.
