President Donald Trump hosted a dinner with Silicon Valley’s most powerful leaders Thursday night but kept his hands almost entirely hidden beneath the table. The 79-year-old president, known for his animated hand gestures, showed unusual restraint during the televised portion of the event.
The White House State Dining Room gathering included Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and OpenAI chief Sam Altman. For nearly 20 minutes of camera coverage, Trump kept his hands folded and out of view while seated beside Zuckerberg.
His hands briefly appeared to point at speakers or rest momentarily on the table before quickly disappearing again. This behavior contrasts sharply with Trump’s typical expressive communication style that features frequent hand movements and gestures.
The restrained behavior follows months of media attention focused on recurring bruises appearing on both of Trump’s hands. Initially noticed on his right hand during summer appearances, a second bruise later developed on his left hand. The president has frequently used heavy makeup to conceal these marks during public events.
White House officials have attempted various strategies to hide Trump’s visible health issues from cameras. Earlier this week, the president positioned his hands strategically behind a “Gulf of America” hat. Last week, official photographs from his meeting with South Korea’s president were cropped to avoid showing his swollen ankles.
The White House initially denied any health concerns but acknowledged in July that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. This common condition affects blood flow in veins, particularly among people over 70 years old. The diagnosis came after Trump reported mild swelling in his lower legs.
Dr. Sean Barbabella, Trump’s physician, described the condition as “benign and common” in a statement. The doctor confirmed no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, stating that Trump “remains in excellent health”. All laboratory tests showed normal results.
Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when vein valves fail to function properly, causing blood to pool in affected areas. Symptoms typically include swelling in lower legs, leg pain, varicose veins, and skin changes. The condition affects approximately 10 to 35 percent of people in Trump’s age group.
Medical experts explain that the hand bruising stems from different causes than the leg condition. White House physician Barbabella attributed the hand marks to “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and aspirin use”. Trump takes aspirin as part of standard cardiovascular prevention, which increases bruising susceptibility.
The dinner Thursday night featured discussions about artificial intelligence investments and technological advancement. Trump questioned executives about their domestic spending commitments, with Zuckerberg and Cook each pledging $600 billion in investments. Google’s Sundar Pichai committed $250 billion, while Microsoft’s Satya Nadella promised $80 billion annually.
Notably absent from the gathering was Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX CEO who previously served as a close Trump ally. Musk wrote on X that he was invited but could not attend, sending a representative instead. The absence follows a public break between the two men over policy disagreements earlier this year.
The tech dinner occurred after First Lady Melania Trump’s Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force meeting. The initiative aims to develop AI education programs for American students. Several dinner guests also participated in the earlier education-focused session.
Trump addressed recent social media rumors about his death during the dinner remarks. “I want to thank the media, they’ve been very nice lately. Although, I’m still here,” he said, drawing laughter from attendees. The comments referenced viral speculation that emerged over the Labor Day weekend.
Despite health concerns, Trump has maintained an active schedule of public appearances and golf outings. His six-day absence from public events in late August sparked the death rumors that circulated widely on social media platforms.
Bill gates but not Elon Musk….wtf? https://t.co/3mLD1vKVgv
— Natalie F Danelishen (@Chesschick01) September 4, 2025
[inline_related_posts title=”RECOMMENDED” title_align=”left” style=”list” number=”2″ align=”none” ids=”” by=”primary_cat” orderby=”rand” order=”DESC” hide_thumb=”no” thumb_right=”no” views=”no” date=”yes” grid_columns=”2″ post_type=”” tax=””]
The administration continues promoting AI as essential to American economic growth and national defense. Trump has signed executive orders directing federal agencies to explore artificial intelligence applications while reversing previous restrictions on AI development.
