Photos from Monday’s Medal of Honor ceremony showed a bright red rash and scabs running from Trump’s ear to the back of his head.
At the same time, his right hand was covered in thick makeup, hiding bruises he says come from taking extra aspirin and “getting whacked again by someone.”
By Tuesday, the rash appeared mostly hidden.
During a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, Trump’s skin looked smoother, though the color was slightly different.
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White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella said the treatment was a “very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative skin treatment, prescribed by the White House Doctor.” He added that the redness “is expected to last for a few weeks.”
Dr. Sean Barbabella, Donald Trump’s doctor, just issued the following statement:
“President Trump is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative skin treatment, prescribed by the White House Doctor. The President is using this treatment for… https://t.co/rwyn7nj6Al
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) March 2, 2026
Trump claimed he was caught off guard by the attention on the rash. “I never knew anything about it,” he told Reuters, insisting he had no knowledge of the treatment before it became public.
Medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta suggested on X that the rash could be “pre-cancerous” and slammed the White House for secrecy. “Now instead of acknowledging he might have a pre-cancerous skin condition, they dance around the issue. Trying to fool the public just makes it worse,” Gupta wrote.
The White House medical team didn’t know @POTUS got a CT scan. They claimed it was a MRI for weeks.
Now instead of acknowledging he might have a pre-cancerous skin condition, they dance around the issue.
Trying to fool the public just makes it worse.
— Dr. Vin Gupta (@VinGuptaMD) March 2, 2026
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back, saying that “any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath they’ve sworn to.” She called the claims “false and slanderous allegations from ‘doctors’ who are unethically speculating on health matters they have no insight into.”
Trump’s appearance has caught people noticing more than just the rash on his neck. Swelling in his ankles and discoloration in the past have made headlines, though the White House says it is due to chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition that isn’t serious. Trump explained that some of the marks come from taking higher doses of aspirin over the years.
At 79, he is the oldest president sworn in for a second term, and every public appearance gets close attention. Combined with past incidents, even small changes in his appearance get noticed.
The president defended his use of makeup to cover the marks. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, he said, “I have makeup that’s, you know, easy to put on, takes about 10 seconds.”
Featured image via X screengrab
