WASHINGTON, May 7, 2026 – New photos of President Donald Trump at a White House event honoring military mothers have brought fresh attention to visible bruising and apparent swelling on both hands, reviving questions about an explanation the administration gave last year.
Trump appeared Wednesday with first lady Melania Trump in the East Room for a celebration held ahead of Mothers Day. The White House listed the event on May 6 as “First Lady Melania Trump Honors Military Mothers, the Soul of our Nation.”
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Images from the event showed marks on both of Trump’s hands, with visible concealer and apparent swelling, according to photographs from the gathering. The Daily Beast reported that the president’s hands appeared bruised and covered with makeup during the event.
The White House has faced questions about Trump’s hand bruising before. In July 2025, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said bruising on the back of Trump’s hand was consistent with “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin,” according to ABC News coverage of the White House briefing.
That briefing also addressed swelling in Trump’s lower legs. Leavitt said the president had reported mild swelling and was evaluated by the White House medical team. Doctors diagnosed chronic venous insufficiency, a condition involving poor blood flow in leg veins that can lead to swelling.
Officials said at the time that tests found no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. Leavitt also said an echocardiogram showed normal cardiac structure and function, with test results “within normal limits.”
The White House has treated the hand marks and leg swelling as separate issues. The medical diagnosis released last year involved lower-leg swelling. The hand bruising was attributed to repeated public contact and aspirin use.
Questions about aspirin have remained part of the discussion because Trump has spoken publicly about taking a 325-milligram daily dose. Northeastern Global News reported in January that aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising because of its effect on blood clotting, while medical experts cautioned that visible bruising alone cannot prove a specific cause.
The latest photos have drawn renewed attention online, although the White House has released no new medical report tied to the May 6 event. A White House spokesperson quoted in recent coverage defended Trump public schedule and said he meets and shakes hands with large numbers of Americans.
Trump, 79, has continued to appear at public events. The administration has repeatedly described him as being in strong health, while critics have called for clearer information whenever visible signs raise questions.
For now, the public record remains limited. The White House says hand bruising has been consistent with handshaking and aspirin use. The only disclosed diagnosis tied to visible swelling was chronic venous insufficiency in the lower legs.
