Donald Trump wore black gloves and a heavy coat while greeting Chinese president Xi Jinping in mild weather at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

President Donald Trump greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, wearing a long overcoat and black leather gloves despite mild weather of about 64 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 degrees Celsius. Xi arrived aboard an Air China aircraft and Trump personally greeted him during a formal arrival ceremony featuring a red carpet, military honors, national anthems and a planned bomber flyover.

Trump was the only member of either first couple wearing an overcoat and gloves on the mild autumn day, drawing online attention as he made a rare personal appearance to welcome Xi.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump traveled to the base to meet Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, after the aircraft landed. U.S. Marines rolled out a red carpet as Xi walked down the aircraft stairs. The two leaders and their spouses stood side by side for the national anthems as cannons fired a ceremonial salute. A military jet then flew over the ceremony, causing Trump to visibly wince while Xi watched the aircraft pass calmly.

The scene also stood out because Donald chose to greet Xi at the military airfield rather than waiting for him at the White House or the main summit venue, adding to the day’s unusual optics.

Questions over the coat and gloves

Temperatures at Joint Base Andrews were reported at about 64 degrees Fahrenheit, yet Donald wore a long winter-style coat and leather gloves while Xi and the other members of the two presidential couples dressed more lightly.

The difference quickly became a talking point on social media. Journalist Aaron Rupar noted the temperature and Donald’s gloves in a widely shared post, writing that it was Donald’s own event to control.

The glove comes off

Donald removed one glove to shake Xi’s hand before putting it back on during the ceremony. Close-up photographs from the event showed beige makeup on the top of Donald’s hand when he removed his right glove, while a bruise was later visible as he put the glove back on.

Photographs taken the following day appeared to show makeup on both hands, with some discoloration also visible on his left hand. Donald had not been wearing gloves when he left the White House earlier that day to board Marine One but had them on when he returned.

A pattern stretching back months

Bruising on Donald’s hands has been reported previously. The White House has attributed the marks on his right hand to frequent handshaking and his use of aspirin. Donald’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, has said the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily and has maintained that dosage for about 25 years despite guidance to lower it.

Donald discussed his aspirin regimen in a January interview with The Wall Street Journal. “I’m a little superstitious,” he said, adding that he wanted to keep his blood thinner and did not want to reduce the dose. He has also said the makeup he uses to conceal bruising takes about 10 seconds to apply.

The bruising has also appeared on Donald’s left hand. At a World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland, in January, he displayed a notable bruise on the hand he does not typically use to shake hands or sign documents. Asked about the mark, then-press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered a different explanation from the usual handshaking-and-aspirin account.

Karoline has repeatedly defended Donald’s overall health and public contact when reporters have asked about the marks. “President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history. His commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day,” she said in response to multiple inquiries.

The gloves were not the only detail of Donald’s appearance that drew scrutiny during Xi’s state visit. The following day, while Donald showed Xi Marine One and a new helipad on the South Lawn, an apparent bulge on his lower back again became a subject of online speculation, similar to bulges noticed in prior months.