US President Donald Trump sparked health concerns during a state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. As Trump greeted Xi and his wife Madam Peng outside the White House alongside his wife Melania, attention again focused on the condition of his hands.
Discoloured and Concealed Hands
US journalist Aaron Rupar commented on Trump's physical appearance on X, sharing images and noting how discoloured the president's hand is before adding: "Yikes: Trump's hands - both of them - are looking rough tonight." Close-up shots show the hands as discoloured and covered in makeup. The right hand in particular appears to be covered from the wrist to fingers in concealing makeup, whereas only a small patch of skin seems to be covered on his left hand.
Trump's health continues to attract scrutiny during his second term, including over bruising seen on his hands and swelling around his ankles. Despite this, a physician declared he is in "excellent health".
Eyes Closed During Speech
Further concerns were raised when the president delivered his speech to guests inside the White House at the state dinner. Trump welcomed guests, speaking about the "long history" between China and the US before gifting Xi a bald eagle statue. "The bald eagle is a national symbol of the United States and an embodiment of the free and soaring spirit of America," Trump said. "We hope it'll find a nice place, a wonderful place in Beijing."
Due to the guest list and Xi's limited English, after delivering several lines of the speech Trump would pause for a translated version to be read aloud by an interpreter. During these pauses Trump stood awkwardly at the podium, often appearing to close his eyes.
Previous Incidents and White House Response
This is not the first time the president has been caught shutting his eyes on an important occasion. It has been noted several times that the 80-year-old 'nods off' during meetings. Responding to questions from the Express about the President's health in June, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said: "President Trump's sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and the legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden's serious mental and physical decline from the American people."
"President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises."
The health concerns come after his meeting with Xi earlier in the day also sparked fears as he appeared to veer to the side as he walked along the red carpet prior to the Chinese leader's arrival.
