US President Donald Trump has seemingly resorted to wearing bandages in a bid to shrug off ‘Sleepy Joe’ comparisons. Over the past week, Mr Trump-the, the oldest person to ever be elected president, has been seen with bandages on his right hand to cover up consistent bruising on his right hand during several public appearances, including at the Kennedy Centre Honours dinner.
The president often uses makeup to cover up the dark bruising and has previously accused members of the media of ignoring stories about his administration in exchange for stories about his physical health. Trump has consistently batted away speculation regarding his hand. During his presidency, Joe Biden faced heavy speculation about his cognitive sharpness — much of it fueled by Trump.
After a poor debate showing in June 2024, during which he frequently lost his train of thought, concerns about his fitness intensified and ultimately contributed to his decision not to seek a second term.
As speculation about his health persists, the president seems to be growing increasingly irked. When a reporter asked which part of his body the MRI had examined, Trump brushed off the question, saying, “I have no idea.”
Last week, Karoline Leavitt revealed that Trump had received a "preventative" MRI to comprehensively assess the president's health.
And now it appears that Mr Trump is desperate to not face the examination and assert that he is in good health and is “sensitive to being compared, even if not explicitly, to Sleepy Joe," an insider told AFP.
During a gathering on Tuesday December 2, he redirected attention towards Biden and his fitness for office, pointing out that despite conducting numerous press briefings daily, he faces constant comparisons with Biden, who he claimed went eight months without holding a single press conference during his presidency.
It was only last month that Mr Trump has hit out at a recent report alleging he is facing "realities of ageing in office", declaring he is in perfect mental and physical health.
The president said he had taken a "perfect physical exam" and a comprehensive cognitive test. Seemingly quoting someone on the results of his test, he added a three-word remark, saying: "That was aced".
