On September 23, former President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, drawing attention for wearing black leather gloves despite the mild autumn weather. At 80 years old, Trump was dressed in a long winter coat while First Lady Melania Trump opted for a lighter coat and skirt.

As President Xi disembarked from the plane, Trump removed his right glove to shake hands, but later put it back on, revealing a thick layer of beige makeup on his hand. This moment was captured by photographer Kent Nishimura, leading to questions from journalists and political commentators about Trump's choice to wear gloves in 18-degree Celsius weather.

Political commentator Ed Krassenstein tweeted, questioning whether Trump was hiding something on his hands. The White House has not commented on the matter. Notably, Trump was not wearing gloves when he boarded Marine One to travel to Andrews for the greeting.

According to the University of California, older individuals may have a diminished ability to regulate body temperature, and wearing gloves can help reduce heat loss through the extremities. Trump has been known to use concealer to cover bruises that frequently appear on both hands, which the White House attributes to his habit of shaking hands with many people.

However, this explanation does not clarify the bruising observed on his left hand. Trump's doctor, Sean Barbabella, revealed earlier this year that the former president takes 325 mg of aspirin daily, which is significantly higher than the typical low dose of 81 mg recommended for individuals over 60. Trump himself mentioned in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he takes a higher dose of blood thinners to prevent his blood from becoming 'too thick,' which he claims has resulted in the bruising.

In recent weeks, Trump's hands have shown severe bruising, which was also noticeable during his visit to North Carolina. Additionally, he has been seen with bruises on his forearms, a condition that has been noted previously, including in August when he was seen golfing at Bedminster.