Politics

MAGA Goon, 72, Debuts Gnarly Hand Alongside Bruised Trump

TWINNING

The president has competition in the scary hand stakes.

President Donald Trump has found a new MAGA buddy to join his haunted hand club.

Trump, who turns 80 in less than a month, regularly slathers his right hand in makeup in an attempt to shield prying eyes from persistent bruising. Earlier this month, he also applied the mismatching foundation to his left hand.

On Monday, Trump’s right hand was given a fresh coat of shiny concealer as he promoted his administration’s prescription drug website.

However, during the press conference, 72-year-old Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled his own seemingly problematic hand when standing next to Trump.

The hands of US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (L) and US President Donald Trump are seen at a healthcare affordability event in the South Court Auditorium of The White House in Washington, DC, on May 18, 2026.
The hands of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (L) and President Donald Trump are seen at a healthcare affordability event in the South Court Auditorium of The White House. KENT NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty Images

RFK’s left hand appeared discolored in a Getty photo, with another showing different coloring under brighter lighting.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, U.S. President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hold a news conference about the government prescription drug program TrumpRx.gov in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on May 18, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, U.S. President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Independent Journalist Aaron Rupar shared Getty’s photos on X, saying Trump’s hand is “looking nastier than ever,” while identifying RFK Jr.’s hand.

Aaron Rupar comments on the MAGA hands.
Aaron Rupar comments on the MAGA hands. screen grab

The Daily Beast has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services for comment.

The Health and Human Services Secretary has been open about previous health battles. That includes revealing a parasite that entered his brain and ate a portion of it, leading to cognitive issues.

Around the same time, he was diagnosed with mercury poisoning from excessive consumption of fish, and suffered from atrial fibrillation for many years, stating that the condition that causes an irregular heartbeat has been resolved.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holds the hand of his wife Cheryl Hines, on the day Kennedy is sworn in as secretary of Health and Human Service in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holds the hand of his wife Cheryl Hines, on the day Kennedy is sworn in as secretary of Health and Human Service in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. Nathan Howard/REUTERS

The cause of his strained voice is spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder that leads to spasms in the muscles that control the vocal cords. He developed the condition around 1996.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), during a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Robert F. Kennedy Jr's nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2025.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), during a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Robert F. Kennedy Jr's nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 29, 2025. Nathan Howard/REUTERS

Last week, Trump had makeup on both hands during a celebration of NCAA champion footballers, the Indiana Hoosiers.

donald trump
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks next to head football coach at Indiana University, Curt Cignetti, as he hosts the 2026 College Football Playoff. Kylie Cooper/REUTERS

His right hand featured a textured beige coat that appeared scaly in the sunlight, while his left displayed a dark oval spot toward his thumb.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Head Coach Curt Cignetti during an event to celebrate the 2026 Football National Champion Indiana Hoosiers football team on the South Lawn of the White House on May 11, 2026 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump has makeup on his hands. The Daily Beast/Reuters

Trump has attributed used his serial bruising to frequent handshaking and self-medicating on aspirin.

The president has been taking a higher-than-recommended dosage—325 milligrams daily—for the last 25 years to keep his blood thin, despite the fact that his doctors suggest a lower level.

“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?”

Trump admitted the makeup he uses “takes about 10 seconds” to apply.

He 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.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle previously told the Daily Beast in a frequently recycled statement: “President 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. President Trump’s commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day.”

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