Trump says mystery bloody red hands that sparked online debate 'caused by AI'

01 February 2024 , 06:29

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The markings weren't visible later during a rally in New Hampshire (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Donald Trump claimed that "AI" might be the cause of the enigmatic red marks that he recently noticed on his palm, which has sparked speculation from journalists and the internet.

When asked if he had seen the photos during a Wednesday event in Washington, Trump replied that he hadn't. After raising his right hand in response to a question about what was wrong with it, a reporter emphasized that they were talking about his left hand.

When asked about the state of his hand, the former president said, "Nothing, maybe it was AI." Trump was traveling to court to see E. Jean Carroll testify in a defamation case in New York when the red stains first emerged. He lost the case and was ordered to pay Carroll $83 million.

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Some speculated the markings were ketchup (Getty Images)

Later, representatives said that Trump had spread blood all over his hand after suffering paper cuts, which was the cause of the red stains. When Trump was seen leaving his Manhattan apartment for his New York defamation trial last week, there were rumors that he had red marks on the palm and fingers of his right hand. However, these marks had mysteriously disappeared from images and videos taken hours later at a campaign rally in New Hampshire, and he had not appeared to have them in previous public appearances.

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Since then, the phrase "Trump bumps" has gained popularity on X as people try to figure out what might be causing it—anything from ketchup to golf wounds to medical issues to falls.

Other theories suggested it was red ink from top-secret records. Others surmised that it was ketchup because the former president loved fast food. Shortly after the photos were shot, Trump made a reappearance without any indication of the mysterious red marks or any symptoms of an injury.

Rumors that Trump contracted some health problem had floated on social media (Getty Images)

One user noted that the 2024 Republican frontrunner could have fallen: “It’s not uncommon for 77 yo people to fall. His campaign should explain.”

Commentators have speculated about a variety of reasons for the markings, with hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" proposing that the spots might be anything from red marker drawings to sores that were made worse by Trump's slamming of a table during his defamation trial. A number of dermatologists have also conjectured that Trump might have hurt himself or that a rash could be the cause of the markings.

Mataeo Smith