Social media exploded with speculation when the usually omnipresent president vanished from public view for 72 hours.
President Donald Trump was forced to address bizarre internet death rumours on Tuesday after a rare three-day absence from public appearances sent conspiracy theorists into overdrive across social media platforms.
The 79-year-old commander-in-chief appeared visibly irritated when confronted about the wild speculation during his first public event in a week, a Space Command headquarters announcement that saw gathered senators and officials exchanging knowing glances and smiles.
“How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead?” Fox News reporter Peter Doocy boldly asked the president, referencing the online frenzy that had gripped Trump’s political opponents and curious observers alike.
“No,” Trump replied curtly, claiming he was not aware people thought he had died but acknowledged hearing concerns about his well-being. The president dismissed the chatter as “fake news,” insisting he “was very active over the weekend.”
HEALTH CONCERNS MOUNT
The death spiral rumours were not entirely without foundation – eagle-eyed observers have recently spotted concerning physical changes in the typically energetic president.
Trump has been photographed with noticeable bruising on his right hand, sometimes crudely covered with makeup, alongside visible swelling around his ankles that has raised eyebrows among medical experts and political watchers.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt moved quickly to address the speculation, revealing Trump suffers from chronic venous insufficiency – a relatively common condition affecting older adults where leg veins struggle to pump blood back to the heart, causing pooling in lower extremities.
The mysterious hand bruising? Leavitt attributed it to “frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin” – medication Trump takes regularly to ward off potential heart attacks and strokes.
Trump posts on Truth Social
Fighting back against the death rumours, Trump pointed to his continued activity on Truth Social, his personal social media platform, where he posted several lengthy messages during his public absence.
In one particularly emphatic Sunday post, the president declared in all caps: “I NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE” – a statement that did little to quell the conspiracy theories swirling online.
The president also referenced giving interviews during his supposedly quiet period, though critics questioned why someone feeling so energetic would suddenly disappear from his usual packed public schedule.
This latest health speculation recalls Trump’s historically murky approach to medical transparency throughout his political career.
During his 2015 campaign launch, Trump released a laughably hyperbolic doctor’s letter claiming his “physical strength and stamina are extraordinary” and predicting he would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.”
More seriously, the 2020 COVID-19 hospitalisation saw the White House deliberately withhold crucial details about Trump’s condition, including dangerous drops in blood oxygen levels. Later revelations showed the president was far sicker than officials admitted at the time.
The three-day absence has provided fresh ammunition for Trump’s political opponents, who seized on the silence to question whether the oldest person ever to assume the presidency is physically capable of handling the demanding role.
With Trump’s age already a significant campaign issue, any sign of declining health threatens to overshadow his political messaging and provide Democrats with powerful talking points about presidential fitness.
The president’s return to public view on Tuesday appeared designed to project strength and vitality. However, the lingering questions about his recent absence suggest this health controversy is far from over.
