Donald Trump shuts down death rumours after social media erupts with conspiracy claims about his health
US President Donald Trump has quashed rumours that he has died.
On Friday social media exploded with thousands of unverified claims that the 79-year-old commander-in-chief had died after he had been out of the public eye for two days - with hashtags #whereistrump and #TRUMPDIED being used in posts.
But the following day, Mr Trump took to his Truth Social platform to share a photo of himself playing golf with American football coach Jon Gruden at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Mr Trump captioned the post with: “Great playing Golf with Jon Gruden - A really nice guy, and true character! (sic)“
The rumours about Mr Trump’s death intensified when the conspiracy theorists pointed out that he had no events scheduled for the weekend - which is unusual because he typically makes some form of public appearances.
Neither the White House nor Mr Trump commented on the rumours.
Vice President JD Vance added fuel to the fire on Wednesday by saying that he was ready to assume the position of commander-in-chief if a “terrible tragedy” occurred.
“Yes, terrible tragedies happen, but I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term, and do great things for the American people,” he said during an interview with USA Today.
“And if, God forbid, there’s a terrible tragedy, I can’t think of better on-the-job training than what I’ve gotten over the last 200 days.”
Mr Vance also insisted that Mr Trump - whose upper right ear was injured by a bullet fired by gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024 - is “the last person making phone calls at night, and the first in the morning”.
Rumours about Mr Trump’s health came after he was photographed with what appears to be a bruise on his right hand - often covered up with makeup - which The White House insists is due to the frequent hand shaking he does.
“President Trump is a man of the people, and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis more than any other president in history,” a spokesperson said earlier in the year.
