President Donald Trump’s right hand nearly matched the gilded gold of his Oval Office as he swore in his new Secretary of Homeland Security amid nationwide airport chaos on Tuesday.
As Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin cemented his pivot from the legislative branch to the executive branch to replace the ousted Kristi Noem, the 79-year-old president slathered makeup on his often-bruised right hand to mark the occasion.
The glimmering sheen was noticeable as Trump sealed the deal with a handshake, confirming his newest Cabinet member, who ruffled feathers last week during his hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Filling in Mullin’s open Senate seat, energy executive Alan Armstrong was also sworn into office on Tuesday.
Mullin, 48, was sworn in just one day after ICE agents took to airports to assist TSA employees for security at airports across the country in the wake of the department’s shutdown.
Negotiations between Democratic and Republican lawmakers to reopen DHS have been ongoing, as Republicans have repeatedly shot down Democratic legislation to fund the department.
Trump’s right hand is often covered in makeup to hide deep purple bruising that the White House attributes to “frequent handshaking.”
His non-dominant left hand—his “good hand”—sometimes appears discolored as well.
Last week, during a meeting with Kennedy Center board members, a brown bruise was visible just below the president’s index finger on his left hand.
The president is susceptible to bruising due to his daily aspirin regimen, a White House official previously told the Daily Beast. Trump told the Wall Street Journal in January that he has been taking 325 milligrams of the anti-inflammatory per day for 25 years, saying that it’s “good for thinning out the blood.”
“I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart,” he told the outlet. “Does that make sense?”
Aside from his hand bruising, the geriatric president has showcased a laundry list of ailments throughout his second term in office, which the Daily Beast has documented extensively.
From speaking slip-ups and public sleeping fits to bulging cankles, the aging president’s health remains a major concern as he approaches octagenarian status in June.
Reached for comment, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Beast: “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.”
