Donald Trump’s hands have been the focus of intense speculation and rumour, spotted with large bruises and even concealer in recent months.
Now, the President has revealed the reason behind the unsightly bruises, blaming it on the high dose of aspirin he takes on the recommendation of doctors.
He told the Wall Street Journal: ‘They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart.
‘I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense? They’d rather have me take the smaller one, but I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.’
Trump’s doctor, Sean Barbabella, said Trump takes around 325mg of aspirin daily to prevent a heart attack or stroke. The average dose is roughly 100mg.
Since retaking office almost a year ago, Trump’s health has sparked conversation, from his apparent sleepiness to his bruised hand.
In July, he was seen struggling to stay awake while Medicare administrator Dr Mehmet Oz began talking about healthcare.
And in May, he fell asleep with his mouth open as a star witness took the stand during his hush money trial.
In February, a large bruise appeared on the back of Trump’s right hand as he sat with his hands folded while meeting French President Emmanuel Macron.
Previously, it was speculated that the bruise could have been from IV infusions, thin skin, blood thinners, or the president’s old age.
In other appearances, it was reported that he attempted to hide bruising on the back of his hand with concealer.
When asked by reporters about Trump’s hand, the White House insisted it was because of frequent handshaking.
‘This is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen,’ Trump’s doctor, Barbabella, has said.
Trump has boasted about his health for years, at one point claiming he was ‘healthier than Obama’, who is 15 years younger than him.
Earlier this year, White House physician Barbabella released a memo on Trump’s health, finding he was in excellent health.
On the memo, it was noted he had ‘well-controlled’ hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), diverticulosis and actinic keratosis (dry patches of skin).
It added that he takes two medications for cholesterol, an aspirin each day for cardiac health (as confirmed today), and cream for his skin conditions as needed.
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