Trump's Makeup-Covered Hand Draws New Scrutiny Days After Face Appeared To Droop at 9/11 Event

President Donald Trump drew attention over his health on Sunday in Doonbeg, County Clare, after photographs from the Amgen Irish Open showed beige make-up covering the back of his right hand, days after his face appeared to droop during a 9/11 memorial event at the Pentagon.

The scrutiny followed Trump's appearance on Friday beside First Lady Melania Trump at the Pentagon, where observers noticed the right side of his face sagging. The two appearances have added to scrutiny of changes in his hands, ankles and facial appearance.

The White House previously attributed the hand marks to minor soft-tissue irritation from routine handshaking and aspirin use.

Trump Hand Photos Renew Questions Over Bruising

Trump was attending the tournament at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel when close-up images showed a large patch of make-up over an area where discolouration had previously been visible. Reddish and purple colouring was still visible around the edges of the covered area.

The hand also appeared swollen, the Daily Beast reported. Photographs alone, however, cannot establish the cause of bruising, swelling or any other medical condition.

The White House has previously offered an explanation for the marks. In July 2025, Trump's physician, Sean Barbabella, said the bruising was 'consistent with minor soft-tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.' That explanation has remained under scrutiny because marks have appeared on both hands at different times.

A photograph taken during an Oval Office signing ceremony on 13 July 2026 showed what appeared to be skin-tone make-up over part of Trump's left hand, after similar discolouration had previously been seen on his right.

Some social media users questioned why the marks appeared repeatedly. One commenter asked, 'Why doesn't this 'bruise' ever heal?' Another wrote, 'It's getting worse...' Those comments reflect public reaction, not medical evidence.

Trump Health Scrutiny Extends Beyond His Hands

The White House disclosed in July 2025 that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition it said could cause swelling in the lower legs.

Officials described it as common among older people and said testing had ruled out several more serious conditions.

Photographs have shown swelling around Trump's ankles, while videos and still images have prompted discussion about his movements, speech and alertness. Such observations cannot, by themselves, confirm a neurological disorder.

That distinction became relevant after the 9/11 ceremony. Trump sat beside Melania Trump as officials read the names of the 184 people killed in the 2001 Pentagon attack.

Images showed the right side of his face lower than the left, and similar facial asymmetry was also noted at a 9/11 event the previous year.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Sunday's hand photographs. It has previously rejected or pushed back on speculation about Trump's health.

Trump's Recent Appearances Draw Further Attention

At an August appearance at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Trump briefly paused while speaking and appeared to make a series of irregular movements with his arms and body.

The footage prompted commentary from a clinical and forensic psychologist, who suggested the movements could be consistent with a possible focal-aware seizure. The material does not state that any doctor treating Trump reached that conclusion, and the episode has not been publicly confirmed as a seizure.

Similar caution applies to renewed speculation that Trump may have suffered a stroke. A Washington State University professor previously argued that some physical and speech-related changes were consistent with a past stroke. However, no public medical record or statement from Trump's doctors confirms that he suffered one.