Trump says red marks on hands may have been AI

Former President Trump said photos showing red marks on his hands that led to widespread online speculation last week may have come from artificial intelligence (AI).

Trump was photographed leaving Trump Tower on Jan. 17 ahead of his defamation trial with writer E. Jean Carroll, where his hands appeared to be covered in red marks. This prompted online and media speculation about whether he had a skin condition, red marker on him or had given himself a paper cut.

Trump spoke out on those theories after Fox News reporter Mark Meredith asked him about it following a meeting with the Teamsters union Wednesday, according to a clip that aired on Fox News later that day. Trump did not appear to know what Meredith was talking about.

“How’s your hand? It looks better now,’ Meredith asked.

“My hand?” Trump responded.

They two continued to go back and forth, with Trump asking Meredith what was wrong with his own hand the other day. Meredith described the photos and again asked Trump what was the issue with his hand.

“Nothing. Maybe it was AI,” Trump responded.

The photo prompted media outlets and late-night shows to speculate on the cause of the red marks, including Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show,” which aired a mock news report that joked the likely cause was Trump “finger-painting the face of his new lawyer, Wilson the volleyball.”

Hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” suggested the red marks may have been blood from slamming the table during the defamation trial or a “magic marker.”

The Trump campaign dismissed the speculation around the remarks in a statement to The Hill.

“The media hysteria and ridiculous commentary from reporters and journalists just proves how unserious some news outlets have become,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said when reached for comment.