President Donald Trump dismissed widespread social media speculation about his health and death after several days without public appearances over the Labor Day weekend, declaring on Truth Social Sunday evening that he has “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”
The unfounded rumors gained significant traction on social media platforms after Trump had not been seen publicly since a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, August 28, 2025. Hashtags such as #trumpdead and #whereistrump began trending over the holiday weekend, with some posts speculating about his health receiving more than one million views.
The conspiracy theories were fueled by recent photographs showing bruising on Trump’s right hand and swollen ankles, as well as comments made by Vice President JD Vance during an August 29 interview with USA Today. Vance indicated he was ready to assume the presidency if a terrible tragedy occurred, though he also emphasized that the 79-year-old president was in incredibly good health and had incredible energy.
During a White House press conference on September 2, 2025, Trump addressed the speculation directly after a Fox News reporter asked him about the viral rumors. He acknowledged hearing about people speculating regarding his health but indicated he was unaware of the full extent of the social media phenomenon surrounding claims of his death.
Trump explained that he had conducted numerous successful news conferences the previous week but had not held any for two days, prompting speculation about his condition. He contrasted this with former President Joe Biden, noting that Biden would not hold press conferences for months without similar health speculation from the media.
The health concerns were amplified earlier this year when photographs of Trump’s swollen ankles and bruised hands circulated online. In July 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt disclosed that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where weakened veins in the legs struggle to carry blood back to the heart.
Leavitt explained that the condition is fairly common in older people and causes swelling in the lower legs. She clarified that there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, and that blood count tests and an echocardiogram had returned normal results. The bruising on Trump’s hand was attributed to extensive handshaking during public appearances.
The speculation reached such levels that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to a critical post from Trump by suggesting he send everyone proof of life first. His response was retweeted more than 6,000 times, further amplifying the conspiracy theories.
Questions about Trump’s health had been among the top Google searches at noon on Saturday, August 31, while “Where is Donald Trump” was trending on the social media platform X. However, Trump was photographed on Saturday leaving a golf course in Virginia with his granddaughter, which helped quell some of the rumors.
In his Truth Social post on Sunday evening, Trump also declared Washington D.C. a “crime free zone,” referencing his recent deployment of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital. He had declared a crime emergency in the district earlier this month, though violent crime statistics show a decline in the city since 2023.
The incident highlighted how quickly false information can spread on social media platforms, with algorithms that reward sensational content contributing to the rapid circulation of unfounded conspiracy theories. Despite the speculation, Trump maintained an active presence on Truth Social throughout the weekend, posting dozens of messages about various topics including crime statistics and calls to end mail-in voting.
Trump’s press conference on September 2 marked his first public appearance after the week-long absence that fueled the online rumors. During the event, he announced plans to move the headquarters for the U.S. Space Command from Colorado to Alabama and was not asked any additional questions about his health status.
