Donald Trump is once again a trending Twitter topic after a photograph of his hands went viral. Earlier this week, Trump was waving to a crowd of people as he was leaving his Manhattan apartment. In the photo, his right hand is covered in a patchwork of red markings resembling blisters. People quickly hopped online to theorize what the markings could possibly mean—and the sexually transmitted disease syphilis was at the top of the list. It became so widespread, the hashtag “#SyphilisDon” is now making the rounds.
A Twitter (X) user who goes by Emily Porter, M.D. tweeted, “I’m no dermatologist, but I am a board certified emergency physician who sees a lot of weird rashes and that stuff on Trump’s hands—it ain’t eczema. Just sayin’.” Another wrote, “Seriously, what’s wrong with Trump’s palm and fingers? Herpes, shingles, syphilis … or something else? All I know is I’m glad I don’t have to shake hands with him!,” while another said, “So, let me get this straight…MAGATs are so far down the hole of depravity, hatred, bigotry, Nazism, and loserdom — they actually prefer a convicted rapist who has syphilis to rule over them as America’s first DICTATOR. Disgusting. Did I get that right?! #SyphilisDon.”
So, let me get this straight…👇
MAGATs are so far down the hole of depravity, hatred, bigotry, Nazism, and loserdom — they actually prefer a convicted rapist who has syphilis to rule over them as America’s first DICTATOR.
Disgusting.
Did I get that right?! #SyphilisDon pic.twitter.com/TPGSpU6MrF
— Jeras Ikehorn (@JerasIkehorn) January 19, 2024
Of course, there is no medical proof Donald Trump actually has syphilis. But it didn’t stop people from going wild with conspiracy theories. As Democratic strategist James Carville said on the Politicon podcast, “They don’t look like cuts to me . . . I think there’s a good chance this man has the clap,” noting he consulted “a number” of doctors who all came to the consensus that Trump has “secondary syphilis.”
George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences Professor Jonathan Reiner theorized on Twitter that Trump could have injured himself, noting “it’s not uncommon for 77 yo people to fall,” while Joshua Zeichner, an associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Business Insider Trump may simply have a rash that could be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from his golf club grip to dry hands.
Whatever the case, Twitter is having a field day with it. Check it out here.