Speculation about Donald Trump’s health intensified after false online claims suggested the president had died.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 2, Trump, 79, was asked if he was aware of the viral rumors.
“No. Really? I didn’t see that,” he responded. He admitted he knew people were questioning his health, saying he often sees “reports,” but insisted he hadn’t heard about the death conspiracy. “That’s pretty serious stuff,” he added.
Trump then criticized “fake news” for fueling the narrative, though the rumor actually started among social media users and was not reported by major outlets.
The speculation took off over Labor Day weekend, after Trump was photographed with a large bruise on his hand. Hashtags like “Trump Is Dead” and “Where Is Trump?” trended on X. His absence from public view for several days only heightened speculation, while Vice President JD Vance fueled chatter when he commented on being prepared to step in if needed.
On Saturday, Trump reappeared in public at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, where reporters photographed him. He returned to the club again on Monday, spending more than five hours there. Despite this, rumors about his health have continued online.
Eric Trump, the president’s second-eldest son, called the rumors “sick and twisted,” sharing a message quoting his father as saying he’d “never felt better.”
Concerns about Trump’s health have surfaced several times in recent months, mostly tied to recurring bruising on his hand, which had previously been covered with makeup. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed it to constant handshaking, while his physician, Sean Barbarella, explained it was consistent with soft tissue irritation and the use of aspirin for heart health.
In July, Trump was also diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common and generally harmless condition in people over 70 that can cause ankle swelling. Despite this, his doctor has repeatedly stated that Trump “remains in excellent health.”
