Donald Trump has addressed speculation regarding his health in a recent interview, discussing the noticeable bruises on his hands.
At 79, Trump is the oldest individual to assume the US presidency, leading to questions about his physical condition from voters.
Trump has consistently claimed to be the ‘healthiest President ever,’ especially after he ‘aced a cognitive test’ last year, though he admitted he doesn’t always adhere to medical advice.
During a January 1 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump acknowledged that age was impacting him and shared his efforts to mitigate these effects.
He explained that the bruises on his hands, which stirred public debate in 2025, resulted from taking a high dose of aspirin to thin his blood, exceeding the typical medical recommendation.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump stated. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
Trump disclosed that he takes four times the advised dose of aspirin due to his ‘superstitious’ nature.
He also mentioned that his skin has become more delicate with age, recounting an incident where Attorney General Pam Bondi accidentally cut his hand during a high-five at the Republican National Conference in 2024 when her ring grazed his fragile skin.
“The ring hit the back of my hand, and, yes, there was a slight little cut,” Trump remarked.
The WSJ noted this was not an isolated event, with similar occurrences reported due to Trump’s sensitive skin.
The president started using makeup on his hands to conceal bruises from firm handshakes in his everyday interactions.
When asked about this, Trump explained he wears it in case he gets ‘whacked again by someone.’
“I have makeup that’s, you know, easy to put on,” he explained, “takes about 10 seconds.”
Trump’s justification aligns with the White House’s earlier remark when the public first noticed the bruises.
“President Trump has bruises on his hand because he’s constantly working and shaking hands all day every day,” a White House statement read. “President Trump is a man of the people.”
White House physician Sean Barbarella corroborated that the bruises resulted from “minor soft tissue irritation due to frequent handshaking and aspirin use, part of a standard cardiovascular regimen.”
Aside from bruising, Trump also addressed claims of ‘falling asleep’ in cabinet meetings, owing to photos showing him with his eyes closed.
“I’ll just close [my eyes]. It’s very relaxing to me,” he said. “Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink.”
He firmly denied ever dozing off during meetings.
Regarding health concerns he acknowledges, Trump admitted his hearing isn’t as sharp as before, playfully telling the WSJ reporter: “I can’t hear you. I can’t hear you. I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”
While he dismissed significant hearing issues, he did admit to difficulties when “there’s a lot of people talking.”
He also commented on his lack of exercise, calling it ‘boring,’ as he added: “To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people do, that’s not for me.”