Millions of people made or watched videos on TikTok speculating that Trump had died or suffered a stroke or another serious medical emergency, with hashtags #trumpisdead and #whereistrump trending on X.
However, the president is not dead. Trump spoke live at the White House on Tuesday, and his Truth Social posts racked up thousands of interactions.
The rumors started swirling following an August 28 USA Today interview with Vice President JD Vance. Vance was asked whether he is “ready to assume the role of commander-in-chief,” noting that Trump is the oldest president to have been sworn in.
Vance answered: “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.
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.”
Despite Vance’s assurances that Trump is in good health, social media users jumped on his comments about being ready to assume the presidency as evidence that something was awry.
The phrase “Trump is dead” appeared at least 5,616 times from August 28 to September 2 across X, Reddit, YouTube, and Bluesky, according to data from Rolli IQ, a social media monitoring tool.
Online posts pointed to Trump’s schedule as further evidence that something must be wrong. Following a three-hour televised cabinet meeting on August 26, Trump had no public events for six days. The lack of face time for a president who is often on camera fueled claims that Trump’s health was in decline.
Laura Rozen, a Washington, DC-based diplomatic correspondent for news website AL-Monitor, posted on X: “Trump has no public events scheduled all weekend. Don’t believe he was seen today either.”
That post gained 33.9 million views. An X account called “Did Donald Trump Die Today?” existed before the Labor Day weekend rumor; it has been posting “no” answers to its namesake question since December 2024.
Trump does have a real, but non-life-threatening, health condition. In July, his doctor diagnosed him with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition that can cause leg swelling.
Trump has also been photographed with bruised hands and swollen ankles, which some social media users pointed to as evidence of a more serious health issue.
In a September 1 TikTok with more than three million views that has since been taken down, a user who identified himself as a physical therapist analyzed Trump’s April medical report, saying his medications are evidence that “Trump has had a stroke, or maybe even a heart attack in the past”.
However, there is no evidence to support these claims, and Trump’s doctor has assured the public that his condition is being managed.
Liberal social media influencers who specialize in political news fed into the Labor Day weekend craze. They made videos that amassed millions of views, questioning Trump’s health and demanding answers from the White House.
Some influencers clarified that Trump was not dead, calling that a conspiracy theory and pointing to reporters’ photos of Trump leaving the White House to play golf at his Virginia golf course.
People share conspiracy theories in response to an unfulfilled psychological need, according to Cliff Lampe, a University of Michigan School of Information professor.
When people circulated rumors about Biden’s health, he said, they likely exaggerated the extent of his cognitive decline because “it offers an ‘escape’ from a leader they don’t like”.
In the case of Trump’s health rumors, Lampe said, “For people who may not like the current administration, the overall theory is probably a release valve.” This phenomenon highlights the complex interplay between politics, social media, and human psychology.
The false rumors about Trump’s death demonstrate the power of social media in shaping public discourse and the challenges of verifying information in the digital age. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, it is essential to critically evaluate information and sources to ensure that the public sphere remains informed and nuanced.
In the end, Trump’s health and well-being are a matter of public record. Despite speculation and rumors, there is no evidence to suggest that Trump is anything other than fit to serve as president.
As the nation moves forward, it is crucial to prioritize fact-based reporting and critical thinking to ensure that the public is well-informed about the issues that matter most.