US President Donald Trump meets Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.Image: keystone
High-ranking visitors to the White House – and Trump’s hand comes into focus again. His noticeable bruise cannot be overlooked.
March 20, 2026, 4:45 p.mMarch 20, 2026, 4:45 p.m
Tim Kröplin / watson.de
A noticeable bruise on the US President’s right hand has been causing speculation for months. Sometimes it is clearly visible, sometimes it appears to be covered in make-up – it never completely disappears.
He also attracted attention again at a state banquet in the White House to which Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was invited. An AFP photographer captured the heavily concealed area. But it wasn’t just Trump’s hand that attracted attention that evening.
Trump caused a strange moment with his Pearl Harbor reference
The meeting was actually about strengthening the alliance between the USA and Japan. A passage in which Trump responded to the question of why he had not informed allies in Asia in advance about possible military plans against Iran was all the more irritating. “You don’t want to signal too much, you know?” Trump said. And then followed up with: “Who understands surprises better than Japan?”
A sentence followed that thickened the air in the room: “Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” Trump was alluding to the attack by the Japanese Air Force on the US Pacific Fleet in 1941 – a historically highly sensitive reference, especially in a conversation with a Japanese head of government.
Trump says he applies the make-up himself.Image: keystone
Takaichi didn’t react directly, smiling away the situation. The moment did not trigger a diplomatic crisis. Still, it was explosive. He has already shown several times that Trump sometimes sets his own standards when dealing with international partners. This time too, the incident is likely to have no consequences.
US President’s hand hematoma is due to aspirin?
However, his state of health continues to seem almost as puzzling as his choice of words. Trump himself gave an explanation for the bruise on his hand: He said he takes 325 milligrams of aspirin every day Wall Street Journal. Significantly lower doses are usual. “They would prefer that I take the smaller one,” Trump explained. “I take the larger one – and that just leads to bruises.”
In fact, high doses of aspirin can inhibit blood clotting and thus promote hematomas. At the same time, doctors warn of possible side effects from long-term use, including gastrointestinal problems or ringing in the ears. That might explain the bruise. There will still be many questions for Takaichi. (fwa)