Melania Trump’s hand sparks Photoshop conspiracy theories following rare appearance with husband Donald

It seems there's a new conspiracy theory surrounding Melania and Donald Trump every other week, with the pair's latest appearance leaving people convinced a particular image had been Photoshopped due to one bizarre detail about the First Lady's hands.

Now, we already know all about the avalanche of 'fake Melania' or 'body double' theories surrounding the 55-year-old but her recent theatre outing alongside her husband, Trump, 78, has sparked a brand-new one altogether.

Earlier this week (11 June), Melania was spotted out in public with the Republican leader as the two ventured to a live performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

The couple attended the opening night for Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center this week (ALEX WROBLEWSKI / Contributor / Getty Images)

One snap from the event, which also saw Trump 'cut off' his missus mid-interview, showed the married couple walking while holding hands - well, thumb.

Yep, Trump could be seen waving at the camera with a stern expression as Melania looked on ahead with a parted mouth expression but it was the pair's seemingly odd hand-holding placement which really caught the attention of the internet.

Trump appeared to be clinging with three of his own fingers to Melania's outstretched thumb as it almost bent backwards on itself.

Obviously, this could just be a matter of awkward paparazzi timing but it seems many people thought otherwise.

Taking to social media to share their thoughts on the snap, one X user declared: "Melania obviously didn’t want to hold his hand in public so Trump decided to at least grab her thumb for the cameras."

Some people online speculated over whether the thumb snap was 'doctored' or 'AI edited' (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

"Melania's thumb looks distended," penned a second, while a third speculated: "Looks like he is breaking or dislocating her thumb!"

A fourth queried: "That thumb twist looks a little painful."

Others, however, were convinced the image was 'doctored' in some way.

"Doctored photo. Look at Melania Trump's right 'hand'. Looks like a foot, plus an additional appendage of some sort," theorised one X user.

A second chimed in: "The photo looks like it has been AI edited or created!"

"I am sure someone else posted this but very much AI generated," added another. "Look at her thumb!"

And a final X user summarised: "I don't think that's a real photo. He's holding her thumb and the angle looks unnatural. If it's real, why is he holding her thumb?"

Now, while these speculations are just that - speculative - you can't deny it's a pretty odd way to hold someone's hand!

Tyla has contacted the White House press office for comment.