At a signing ceremony for his “Board of Peace” in Davos, President Donald Trump showed dark bruises on both hands. The left hand was especially dark and appeared overnight, even though the White House says the marks come from handshakes. Trump only shakes hands with his right.
The bruises were visible even as he spoke from behind the lectern. His posture looked stiff, and his energy was low. Observers quickly noticed signs of frailty.
Trump opened his speech with, “This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created, and it’s been an enormous honor to serve as its chairman. It’s running beautifully, started already, and every country, just about every country, wants to be a part of it.”
He added, “We just sent out the letters a couple of days ago. And these are just the countries that are here; they happen to be in Davos, so we said we would be honored if you wanted to join us on the stage.”
He continued, “Yeah, every one of them is a friend of mine. Let’s see, a couple I like, a couple I don’t like. No, I actually like this group, I like every single one of them. Can you believe it? Usually, I have about two or three that I can’t stand.”
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
About 20 countries accepted invitations to join the board, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Vietnam, and Azerbaijan. Top NATO allies like Canada and the United Kingdom declined after Trump invited Russian President Vladimir Putin, making the initiative controversial before it even began.
Online, people reacted quickly. Some speculated about stroke or neurological problems. Others suggested liver issues. A few called for the 25th Amendment, arguing he is clearly not capable of running the country.
He’s 3 different colors. Does this look healthy at all to you? pic.twitter.com/b48TZ7uMAb
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) January 22, 2026
The evolving face of a monster 👹 pic.twitter.com/BDhF7wCbV3
— Anna Baxter 🇺🇸✌🏻 (@MsAnnaBaxter) January 22, 2026
Nope, he looks like a dead man walking… stress is helping to do him in as well as his heart condition…
— Never Surrender (@msw5991) January 22, 2026
I would see people like this in nursing homes
— Che (@tvg94550) January 22, 2026
Why is he so yellow? Looks like liver issues
— kathy boyhan (@kboyhan) January 22, 2026
Well, clearly he’s not capable of doing his job so Vance must invoke 25. I’m no fan of Vance but it’s better than this.
— Raven Black (@RavenNe62037273) January 22, 2026
The White House tried to explain the bruises. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “At the Board of Peace event today in Davos, President Trump hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise.” A White House official added that Trump’s daily aspirin makes him more prone to bruising.
Trump himself told the Wall Street Journal, “I have makeup that’s, you know, easy to put on. Takes about 10 seconds.” He added that one of his hands even bled after Attorney General Pam Bondi nicked him with her ring during a high-five at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July 2024.
Throughout his second term, Trump has repeatedly shown signs of frailty. At 79, he is on track to become the oldest sitting president in U.S. history.
Featured image via X screengrab
