Donald Trump made history earlier this year as the oldest person ever sworn in as U.S. president. The former real estate tycoon just celebrated his 79th birthday a couple of weeks back. While some folks keep pointing to his age as a possible issue, Trump insists he’s in tip-top shape.
That said, certain things are tough to hide. Recently, one of his hands looked pretty wrinkled, and experts say that can sometimes tell a story.
Trump isn’t getting any younger, but his team says he’s holding up well physically at 79. Back in April, White House doctor Sean Barbabella released a report declaring the president fully capable of serving as Commander-in-Chief.
The report listed Trump’s height and weight, plus checks on his eyes, ears, neck, throat, and heart—all clear. Barbabella mentioned a colonoscopy Trump had in 2024.
During that visit, they found a benign polyp and diverticulitis, which is basically inflammation in the colon’s pockets. They scheduled a follow-up colonoscopy in three years.
The medical summary also noted Trump takes meds for cholesterol, heart prevention, and a cream for a skin issue when needed.
The Mystery Behind Trump’s Hand Bruises
Barbabella added that Trump had cataract surgery in both eyes at some point. Overall, he described the president as having strong heart, lung, brain, and physical function, crediting an active lifestyle for keeping him going.
“President Trump shows excellent cognitive and physical health and is completely fit to handle the duties of Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” Barbabella said in April.
Even with the clean bill of health, age is age. Over the past year, Trump’s been spotted with bruises on his hands multiple times.
It first caught eyes last spring during his hush money trial with Stormy Daniels, when a mark showed up on his main hand. Since then, similar bruises popped up in photos, like in February when he met French President Emmanuel Macron.
The White House insists the bruises and wrinkles aren’t a health red flag.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it’s just from all the handshaking. “President Trump is a people person who meets and greets more Americans than any president ever. He shakes hands nonstop,” she explained.
She followed up: “Those bruises come from working hard and shaking hands all day, every day.” In his Time Magazine Person of the Year chat for 2024, Trump himself blamed it on “greeting thousands of people.
Maybe so, but his wrinkled hands stole the spotlight again. Right before he and Melania headed to the Kennedy Center for the Les Misérables premiere in mid-June, social media lit up with comments about the bruising.
“His hand really shows his age,” one X user posted, according to Irish Star. Another chimed in, “Can’t miss that bruising on his hand.”
So, could there be more to Trump’s bruises than endless handshakes? Dr. Ola Otulana, a GP at Cassiobury Court rehab center in Watford, England, told Economic Times the mark on Trump’s right hand looks like a simple superficial bruise. It might come from “minor bumps,” or even a blood draw.
Otulana explained it could be from everyday stuff like knocking your hand on something, leaning on a cane, gripping hard, or medical pokes like drawing blood. He noted that older folks have thinner skin and fragile blood vessels, making bruises show up easier and stick around longer.
He also mentioned blood thinners, aspirin, or anti-inflammatories can worsen bruising, which might apply here.
Still, Otulana wrapped up by saying the bruise “doesn’t raise any immediate concerns.”
Bruises and wrinkles aren’t the only recent health buzz around Trump. On June 9, a photo from a UFC event went viral—Trump was there as fighter Kayla Harrison, fresh off winning the women’s bantamweight title, draped her belt around his waist.
Posts on X, Facebook, and TikTok speculated he might be wearing a catheter under his suit.
One viral post claimed: “Trump seems to have leg braces and maybe a catheter. His right side looks weak, like it has for years. The hand bruising could be from infusions, common in Parkinson’s-like conditions.”
Catheter Rumors Swirl Around Trump
Another said: “No doubt Trump’s got a Foley catheter. It’s a tube to drain urine into a leg bag. That line in his pants? Not a crease—it’s tubing. Every step probably sloshes like a warm Capri Sun.”
The rumors spread fast. But defenders pushed back, saying it was nothing.
“No way. The pant leg fits snug, and that straight line is just a crease. Foley catheters aren’t routine except right after surgery. Active folks use self-cath or pads,” one reply read.
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