Daily Show Jokes About Trump’s Davos Hand Bruise; White House Points To Table Knock and Aspirin

The Daily Show offered a tongue-in-cheek explanation for a prominent bruise on President Donald Trump’s left hand after a photo from the World Economic Forum in Davos drew attention online.

On Thursday the program’s X account posted the image with the caption: Breaking: Trump annexes Gangreneland. The line was a play on words referencing gangrene, a serious condition tied to poor circulation that can cause discoloration and swelling.

Trump was spotted with bruising on his left hand, not just his right. / Getty Images

The mark is notable even for the 79-year-old president, who has previously been photographed with heavy bruising on his right hand. The administration has previously attributed discoloration on his right hand to frequent handshaking.

But the White House’s account of how the left-hand injury occurred raised new questions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Daily Beast that, at the Board of Peace event in Davos, the president "hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise." Photographs from the start of that event showed the president’s hand without the visible mark, and later images show the bruise.

Trump's hands have been scrutinized recently due to frequent bruising, which the White House attributes to aspirin usage and frequent handshakes. / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

A White House official also told the Daily Beast that Mr. Trump’s daily aspirin regimen — which some doctors have described as roughly four times the typically recommended daily dose — may make his skin more prone to bruising. That account was reported by the outlet and has not been independently verified in this piece.

Other Davos Developments

Beyond the discussion over the bruise, Mr. Trump’s visit to Davos included diplomatic movement on Greenland. On Wednesday he stepped back from earlier threats to buy or seize Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. The president said he had reached a framework understanding after talking with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Trump changed his tune on Greenland after speaking with the NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte. / Alex Wong/Getty Images

"We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations."

Though Mr. Trump declined to disclose details, sources told The Telegraph that the reported agreement included the U.S. not purchasing Greenland and treating certain military installations on the island as U.S. territory for operational purposes. The White House also withdrew planned tariffs that had been targeted at eight European countries and were set to take effect on Feb. 1. Those countries included Denmark, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland.

As with all rapidly developing stories, some details remain reported rather than independently confirmed. The timeline and the White House’s explanations drew scrutiny because photos from the event appear to show the bruise emerging after the gathering began.