Trump blames bruised hand on aspirin, denies falling asleep in meetings

United States President Donald Trump has blamed aspirin for large bruises on his hand and denied falling asleep while attending public meetings.

Speaking in an interview published by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, January 1, 2026, Trump also changed his previous statement about receiving an MRI scan in October, saying it was instead a quicker CT scan.

He explained the bruising on his hand as the result of aspirin that he takes daily to thin his blood.

“I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” he said.

Trump had told reporters that he underwent an MRI scan in October, but said at the time he had “no idea what they analysed.”

“Whatever they analyzed, they analyzed it well, and they said that I had as good a result as they’ve ever seen,” he said.

The president, who at 79 is the oldest person to assume the US presidency, said “my health is perfect” and expressed frustration with scrutiny of his well-being.

Trump has based much of his political image on projecting vigor – whether through his frequent interactions with journalists, constant social media posting, or AI memes depicting him as a superhero.

Tinubu to Nigerians: 2026’ll herald stronger economic growth, lower inflation

However, the first year of his second term in office has raised growing questions.

His right hand shows persistent bruising, often covered with thick makeup and at times a bandage, and his ankles have appeared swollen.

On occasion, Trump has clearly struggled to keep his eyes open, including during a televised Oval Office meeting with health representatives in November – a politically sensitive issue for someone who constantly frames his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden as “sleepy.”

Biden left office a year ago at 82, making him the oldest president in history – a record Trump is set to surpass during his current term.

Trump rarely exercises beyond outings at his golf courses and for years has made no secret of his love for high-fat, high-sodium fast food.

The Star