President Donald Trump dismissed viral health rumors on Sunday night, August 31, after speculation about his well-being dominated social media over the weekend. Trump posted on Truth Social, declaring, “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE,” directly addressing the unfounded claims that had spread across multiple platforms.
The speculation began after Trump had not been seen publicly for several days following a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, August 26. The 79-year-old president also had no public events scheduled for the weekend, which further fueled online conspiracy theories. Questions about the president’s health became among the top Google searches by Saturday noon, while “Where is Donald Trump” was trending on X.
According to X’s AI-powered chatbot Grok, posts speculating about Trump’s possible death had acquired over 1.3 million user engagements by Saturday morning. The platform’s analytics showed 158,000 posts containing the phrase “TRUMP IS DEAD” and 42,000 stating “TRUMP DIED” had been made by 7:48 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday. The hashtag “TrumpIsDead” trended on social media platforms despite having no factual basis.
The rumors gained additional momentum from Vice President JD Vance’s interview with USA Today on Wednesday, where he addressed his readiness to assume the presidency if needed. Vance told the publication he was prepared to take on the role of Commander in Chief if a “terrible tragedy” occurred, stating he had received good on-the-job training over the past 200 days. However, Vance also emphasized that Trump has “incredible” energy and remains in “incredibly good health.”
Social media users had pointed to various factors as supposed evidence of health concerns, including visible bruising on Trump’s hands and the fact that he no longer regularly wears ties. Photos from August 25 showed bruising on the back of his right hand during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the White House.
In July, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had disclosed that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that occurs when veins in the legs struggle to carry blood to the heart. The condition is fairly common in older people and causes blood to pool in the lower limbs, leading to swelling. Leavitt explained that the bruising on Trump’s hand resulted from frequent handshaking and daily aspirin use. Blood count tests and an echocardiogram came back normal, with no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.
The speculation was effectively quelled when Trump was photographed on Saturday heading to his Virginia golf course with his granddaughter. He appeared relaxed and at ease, dressed in a white polo shirt, black pants, and his signature red MAGA cap. The sighting immediately reduced engagement with the health-related rumors on social media platforms.
Trump remained active on Truth Social throughout the weekend, posting about various topics, including crime statistics in American cities and legal proceedings. In the same Sunday night post where he addressed his health, Trump also declared Washington, D.C. a “crime free zone,” referencing his recent deployment of the National Guard to the nation’s capital in response to what he called a “crime emergency.” Official data shows that violent crime in the capital has been declining since 2023.
False rumors about Trump’s death are not new to social media, with similar claims resurfacing on platforms every few months. In September 2023, Donald Trump Jr.’s X account was hacked, and the attacker falsely announced Trump’s death, prompting the president to confirm he was alive and well on Truth Social. Political scientist Ian Bremmer noted that similar unfounded death rumors have previously circulated about other world leaders, including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
Trump had no public events scheduled for Monday, according to his official schedule. At 79, he became the oldest president ever sworn into office when he took the oath in January for his second term. The president’s response to the health speculation came as he simultaneously began addressing other political matters, including calling for a federal judge to recuse herself from a case involving Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook due to their shared sorority membership.
