During an appearance at the newly renamed “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace,” the president’s damaged hands were once again notably caked with make-up that has previously led to concerns about his health.
According to the Daily Beast, the 80-year-old president presented the National Medal of Science to SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other tech leaders. He also accepted a posthumous award on behalf of his late uncle, John G. Trump, an MIT professor who received the same medal in 1983.
A close-up by Reuters photographer Evan Vucci showed "a circular patch of orange makeup" on the back of Trump’s "dry, reddened hand, its edges clearly visible," according to the Beast's Isabel van Brugen.
Bruising has been seen on both of Trump’s hands throughout his second term. He often covers it with makeup, which he has said takes “about 10 seconds” to apply, the Beast reported.
The White House has attributed the bruising, which first drew public attention more than a year ago, to Trump’s "higher-than-normal aspirin dosage and his frequent handshaking." A May 2026 medical report from White House physician Capt. Sean Barbabella attributed the bruising to minor soft-tissue irritation from "frequent handshaking" while taking aspirin for cardiovascular prevention, according to IBTimes. The report did not state his current aspirin dose.
When previously asked about Trump’s bruised hands, White House spokesman Davis Ingle told the Beast that Trump is “the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history.” Ingle also said Trump “meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history.”
The Beast also noted online speculation about an unexplained bulge under Trump’s suit jacket and said it had asked the White House for comment.
