U.S. President Donald Trump’s granddaughter, 18-year-old Kai Trump, may have shed new light on a lingering question about the president’s health and the bruises on his hands.
Trump’s health has been the subject of public attention in recent months.
So much so that the hashtag #TRUMPISDEAD was trending online last month during Labor Day weekend.
Highlights
- Kai Trump's Instagram photo shows makeup on Donald Trump's hand, suggesting his hand problems started well before public attention.
- Trump's hand bruising was explained as being from frequent handshakes and aspirin use, a common, benign side effect, per his physician.
- The White House says Trump's swollen ankles result from chronic venous insufficiency, a common and non-serious condition.
- Experts speculate cognitive decline in Trump, citing language and motor skill deterioration noted by psychologists and insiders.
Kai Trump’s Instagram post has shed new light on the bruises on her grandad’s hand
Image credits: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
These claims were fueled by his brief absence from public appearances, visible signs such as bruised hands and swollen ankles, and were subject to further speculations when Trump was seen eating a blue pill-like object during the U.S. Open.
In a recent Instagram post celebrating the first anniversary of her YouTube channel, Kai included a photo carousel, with one damning photo suggesting that Trump’s hand problems may have started much earlier than previously known.
Among the pictures shared was one taken at Mar-a-Lago on election night in November 2024, showing her posing beside her grandfather.
In the photo, Trump’s right hand appears to have makeup applied, seemingly to cover up a bruise or discoloration.
Image credits: kaitrumpgolfer/Instagram
The detail has reignited public interest in Trump’s health, particularly since it is only one of the many public appearances where his hands appear to have makeup covering a bruise or discoloration.
Trump first addressed the bruising in a December 2024 interview with TIME magazine, explaining that it came from “shaking hands with thousands of people.”
The brief response has been offered several times by the White House, usually with little further clarification.
In February 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the president “has bruises on his hand because he’s constantly working and shaking hands all day every day.”
In July, Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, released a memo stating that the marks were “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”
Barbabella added that the president takes aspirin as part of a routine cardiovascular prevention plan, and that such bruising “is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy.”
The Trump administration also addressed Trump’s swollen ankles over the summer. They said the swelling was caused by chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in older people where veins have difficulty returning blood to the heart.
Donald Trump’s health has been under scrutiny over the past few months
The doctor emphasized that the condition was not serious and that Trump remained in “excellent health.”
But not everyone has been satisfied with the answers. Political commentators and mental health experts have raised broader concerns about his overall fitness, with some even hypothesizing that Trump has dementia.
Psychologist Dr. John Gartner, a former Johns Hopkins University professor, told The Daily Beast podcast that he had witnessed a “major deterioration” in Trump’s language skills, motor skills, and impulse control.
“He used to speak with a high level of vocabulary in very polished paragraphs. Now what we see is not only has his vocabulary gone down, but... there are times when he’s really unable to complete a thought. Sometimes he’s unable to complete a word,” Gartner said.
Journalist Seymour Hersh cited White House insiders arguing that Trump has been showing signs of cognitive decline. Close aides noted the president’s repetition of the claim that he has solved several international crises, which they understand to be a sign of mental disorganization, as well as an inability to focus at high-level meetings.
Hersh also quoted an insider saying Trump was no longer able to “read the room.”
Image credits: The White House/Flickr
Others speculate that Trump may be receiving undisclosed medical treatment through an IV drip or that doctors may be conducting frequent tests on him, such as blood withdrawal, causing these marks.
Still, the White House has repeatedly maintained that the president is in strong physical and mental condition.
In an October 2025 medical report, Barbabella said Trump “remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.”
Kai Trump’s post has garnered attention since it reignited debate about the administration's transparency regarding the president’s health.
Her photo appears to confirm that Trump’s hand bruising began at least a year ago, before his return to office and long before it became a topic of media discussion.
The photo also resurfaced amid heightened scrutiny of Trump’s recent medical exams.
White House insiders have noted that Trump seems to show signs of a cognitive decline
Image credits: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Earlier this month, questions were raised after Leavitt declined to specify what type of “advanced imaging” tests were included in his most recent physical.
The press secretary said she did not know the details but repeated that the president is “in incredibly good shape.”
Trump, now 79, has dismissed concerns about his health. “I had a perfect score, and one of the doctors said he’s almost never seen a perfect score,” Trump told reporters in February. “Physically, I feel very good. Mentally, I feel very good,” he added.