“Did he shake hands with Thor?” — Netizens react as White House releases statement about mysterious bruise on Donald Trump’s hand

On February 24, President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the White House. However, the news that made headlines was a picture of the U.S. President shaking hands with Macron. In the photo, netizens noticed that his hands were bruised and seemingly covered with makeup.

As speculations spread about why his hands were bruised, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated to NBC on February 25, clarifying that the President's hand got bruised because he shook hands with people every day. They said:

"President Trump is a man of the people. His commitment is unwavering, and he proves that every single day. President Trump has bruises on his hand because he’s constantly working and shaking hands all day, every day."

The White House press secretary's statement was shared on X by user @NoLieWithBTC.

One netizen (@Ceo_Branding) replied to the tweet and jokingly asked if the President shook hands with the Marvel superhero Thor. They wrote:

"Did he shake hands with Thor?"

The majority of netizens believed the bruise was a sign of the President's age, as he is 78 years old. One netizen (@Warrior_334) suspected the President was on IV medication. Another (@Bummer94xx) remarked that older people get bruises quickly and that he should stop shaking hands with people.

"Nope. Trump is getting IV medication, or they tried to do a blood draw. They’re also covering up his face with makeup and bronzer. Trump is old and might be sick," one netizen wrote on X.

"Maybe he had blood drawn with a butterfly needle in vein on hand. That happened to me once during routine labs, and it caused a huge bruise," another netizen wrote.

"Trump's bruise? More like a cover-up for his declining health. Refusing to release his medical report screams shady—what's he hiding behind those makeup-covered hands? Suspicious," another netizen wrote on X.

"Older people get thinner skin. We bruise easily. This is not a big deal. Maybe he should quit shaking hands," another netizen wrote.

Some netizens compared the President's hands to those of the late Queen Elizabeth, who was seen with bruised hands days before her death in 2022.

"The queen had hands like that shortly before she died," a netizen wrote on X.

"That’s exactly what Queen Elizabeth’s hand looked like, one day before she died," another netizen wrote.

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Discussion regarding Donald Trump's health status

The President Signs Executive Orders At The White House (Image via Getty)

According to Business Standard's report dated October 16, 2024, the President did not share the details of his physical or mental well-being, while running for the Presidency. Although his doctors claimed his body and mind were in excellent condition, Trump's representative refused to elaborate on the details, which further fueled questions about his health from his opponents.

Discussions regarding his age, as he is currently 78, and his ability to perform all duties being the oldest President to be sworn into office were a hot topic on the internet.

Last month, The Economic Times reported the President appeared to be seemingly fatigued during a court appearance. Body language expert Judi James told the media outlet that he seemed to be going through emotional exhaustion rather than physical exhaustion. Notably, such interpretations are subjective and not definitive indicators of health.

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While most netizens speculated the President's hands were bruised due to his allegedly declining health, the White House did not comment further.