Politics

Trump, 79, Smears Right Hand In Makeup Amid Cankles Cover-Up

BAD BLEND

The 79-year-old president had a glob of cover-up on his hand as he ventured out in Washington.

Make-up concealer on President Donald Trump's hand is seen as he speaks at "The People's House."
The Daily Beast/Getty

President Donald Trump’s hand was coated in a thick layer of makeup on Friday as he ventured out from the White House amid ongoing health questions.

The president, 79, has been using makeup to cover bruising on his right hand on multiple occasions since he retook office.

But its appearance and lack of blending during his Friday stop at The People’s House exhibit down the street from the White House were particularly noticeable.

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President Donald Trump's hand was slathered in coverup as he spoke at "The People's House," a White House immersive experience across the street from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, during a tour on August 22, 2025, in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump's hand was slathered in makeup as he spoke at "The People's House," a White House immersive experience across the street from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, during a tour on August 22, 2025, in Washington, DC. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

“President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement Friday.

“His commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day,” she added.

It was a similar line from the White House, which had previously attributed the bruise to the president’s serial handshaking.

Just last night, the president was out in Washington, D.C., shaking hands with law enforcement officials as he stopped by for some pizza amid his crime crackdown on the nation’s capital.

But while the White House has touted its transparency, it has been evasive at times about the president’s health when pressed with questions about his swollen ankles and bruised hand.

Last month, the White House revealed the president had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). It’s a common condition in people of the president’s age.

The White House was forthcoming with the diagnosis, but it has not made the president’s doctor available to answer questions despite initially suggesting that it was a possibility.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin (C-L), flanked meet during a US-Russia summit on Ukraine at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025.
President Trump's swollen ankles on display during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty

Asked about the chances of speaking with Trump’s doctor again last week, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was “certainly something we can look into” and claimed there is “nothing to hide.”

It has not shared any treatment plan or even lifestyle changes, such as the use of compression socks, to address his swollen ankles.

“There have been no adjustments made to his lifestyle,” Leavitt said last week.

In April, the president’s physician released results of his annual physical, touting his golfing and declaring Trump to be “in excellent cognitive and physical health.”

The president’s makeup-slathered hand stood out on Friday as he made his way through DC, but it appeared the president was somewhat self-conscious of it when he gave remarks Friday afternoon at the White House.

President Donald Trump largely covered his right hand with his left while speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, August 22, 2025.
President Donald Trump largely covered his right hand with his left while speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, August 22, 2025. Jonathan Ernst/Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Make-up covers the back of the right hand of President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 22, 2025.
Make-up covers the back of the right hand of President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 22, 2025. Jonathan Ernst/Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Trump largely kept his right hand hidden under his left hand while he had them folded on the desk in front of him as he spoke that afternoon in the Oval Office. But when the president stood up, the bright makeup stood out against his skin just as it had earlier in the day.