Trump looked ‘frail and uneasy’ during speech to world leaders | World | News
Donald Trump appeared “frail and uneasy” during his World Economic Forum speech on Friday, a body language expert has claimed, as attention also focused on a large bruise visible on his left hand. Inbaal Honigman said Mr Trump’s physical presentation at the Davos gathering in Switzerland was strikingly different from past performances.
Inbaal Honigman said: “The President’s stance is different to the way he usually stands, whereby he now appears weaker, frailer, and less robust than usual.” Ms Honigman noted a posture suggesting discomfort and flagged changes in Mr Trump’s speech delivery.
Ms Honigman added: “The speech is slower than usual for the Leader of the Free World, and when speaking, he inhales audibly between words here and there, as if to regulate his breathing.”
Facial cues drew further scrutiny from the expert, who noted that his lowered eyelids coupled with raised eyebrows could indicate uncertainty or confusion.
Ms Honigman said: “The overall impression is one of someone who might be physically or emotionally uneasy, weak or uncomfortable.”
Adding to the conversation about Mr Trump’s appearance was a prominent purple bruise on his left hand, clearly visible in photos taken during the forum’s events.
The mark drew particular attention during a signing ceremony for the “Board of Peace”, an advisory body Mr Trump unveiled at the forum aimed at addressing global conflicts, including the war in Gaza.
On his return to the United States, Mr Trump addressed questions about the injury aboard Air Force One. He attributed it to accidentally hitting his hand on the corner of a signing table at the Davos event and explained that his regular use of high-dose aspirin likely made the mark more noticeable.
Mr Trump said: “I clipped it on the table. So I put a little — what do they call it — cream on it. I clipped it. 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. When you take the big aspirin, they tell you that you bruise.”
Mr Trump dismissed concerns about his health, insisting he was “very good” despite the visible mark. He noted that while doctors suggested he did not need such a high dose, he was “not taking any chances” with his heart.
Karoline Leavitt said: “At the Board of Peace event today in Davos, President Trump hit his hand on the corner of the signing table, causing it to bruise.”
The White House press secretary backed the President’s account, confirming the injury occurred during the official charter signing. A White House official later provided photos from earlier in the week to demonstrate that the bruising was not present before the ceremony.
Mr Trump’s age and physical presentation have been subjects of public and media scrutiny throughout his presidency. At 79, he is the oldest person to hold the US presidency, and incidents such as the hand bruising have reignited debates over his stamina.
Medical experts caution that body language assessments and visible signs like bruising are not reliable indicators of underlying health conditions without clinical evaluation.
Yet in a high-stakes setting like Davos — where global leaders and investors watch U.S. leadership cues closely — such signals often take on outsized significance, shaping perceptions even absent clear medical evidence.
