US president Donald Trump has dismissed concerns about a large dark-coloured bruise on his hand, saying he “clipped it on the table”.
Mr Trump has been pictured with bruises and makeup covering them on his right hand, but the bruised hand pictured this week was his left.
“We saw the bruising on your hand. Are you OK?” a reporter asked the president on his flight home to the United States from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Mr Trump replied: “I’m very good, I clipped it on the table. So, I put a little — what do they call it? — cream on it. But I clipped it.”
Air Force One was leaving Shannon Airport at the time after a stopover to refuel.
Mr Trump, 79, will become the oldest sitting president in US history when he turns 80. Despite this, there has not been the same focus on his health as his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden.
US president Donald Trump holds up his hand after being asked about it by a reporter while speaking to journalists while in flight on Air Force One, travelling from Shannon, Ireland en route to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on January 22nd. Photo: Mandel Ngean/AFP via Getty Images
Mr Trump reacts furiously whenever his health is raised, and personally criticised New York Times reporters who recently wrote a story about reports of his diminished energy.
Amid previous interest in bruises on his hand, Mr Trump previously linked them to aspirin use.
“I would say take aspirin if you like your heart. But don’t take aspirin if you don’t want to have a little bruising. I take the big aspirin. And when you take the big aspirin, they tell you you’ll bruise.
Mr Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency last summer, a condition that is common among older adults that occurs when veins have trouble moving blood back to the heart.
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He has said he takes more aspirin than doctors recomment. “The doctor said, ‘You don’t have to take that, sir. You’re very healthy.’ I said, ‘I’m not taking any chances,’” he told reporters.
Europe is still reeling from Mr Trump’s speech at Davos.
He ruled out US military action in Greenland, but proceeded to criticise the European Union for not handing the autonomous Danish territory over.
Some diplomats fear the rambling speech marks the end of the traditional EU-US relationship.