Trump, 79, Lets Makeup-Covered Hand Slip Picking Up McDonald’s
The Oval Office delivery almost ended with Trump forgetting to tip.
Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS
Donald Trump stepped out of the Oval Office on Monday to grab his McDonald’s DoorDash order with his makeup-slathered right hand.
Trump, 79, had staged the delivery of his favorite food to bring attention to the “no tax on tips” provision of the GOP budget bill he signed into law last year. The legislation, which only applies to federal income tax for 2025 through 2028, allows earners under a certain threshold to deduct up to $25,000 annually in qualified tips. Trump claimed the DoorDash driver who brought him his food, Sharon Simmons, pocketed an “extra $11,000″ because of the law, even though White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she made a total of $11,000 in tips last year.
But the event—two days before the tax filing deadline—drew attention for other reasons. Besides offering a wild denial that he depicted himself as a Christ-like figure in a since-deleted Truth Social post—a move that had many question his cognitive state—the president again showed the world his damaged right hand.
After grabbing one bag of food in each hand, Trump put them down in the doorway, and then began talking about the reason for the delivery while the back of his right hand was exposed.
Trump received a McDonald's delivery from DoorDash driver Sharon Simmons outside the Oval Office on Monday.
Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS
Trump explained the reason for the delivery, his makeup-slathered right hand visible.
Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS
The White House has said that Trump’s frequent bruising on the top of his right hand, which he sometimes covers with makeup, is due to the combination of frequent handshaking and his aspirin usage. Trump has been taking a higher-than-recommended dosage—325 milligrams daily—for the last 25 years to keep his blood thin, even though his doctors suggest a lower amount.
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“I’m a little superstitious,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal in January. “They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart. I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
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In order to compensate for the bruising, Trump said he has makeup that “takes about 10 seconds” to apply.
Trump also has chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in older people that makes it more difficult for blood to return to the heart from the lower extremities. One symptom he has shown is swelling in the lower legs.
When reached for comment, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Beast that Trump is “the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history.”
“The President is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history,” he added. “President Trump’s commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day.”
On Monday, one reporter asked Simmons whether he was a good tipper.
“Umm,” she replied. “Potentially.”
Trump, apparently having forgotten about that key element of the transaction, quickly reached into his pocket with his good hand and handed over a hundred-dollar bill.
Trump tipped Simmons—only after being reminded about it by a reporter.
Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS
“Yes, very,” Simmons said, after the delay.
Trump then admitted to the reporter: “Thank you. You reminded me.”
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