U.S. President Donald Trump became the focus of a viral trend on X, formerly Twitter, in recent days after tens of thousands of posts falsely claimed he had died. The phrase “Trump is dead” appeared in more than 90,000 posts, fueled by his absence from public events and questions over his health.
The White House moved quickly to dismiss the rumors, insisting the 79-year-old president is in excellent health and fit to serve. On Saturday, Trump was filmed walking on a golf course with family members and Secret Service agents, appearing healthy and energetic in what many saw as a direct response to the online speculation.
Vice President JD Vance inadvertently added fuel to the rumors earlier in the week when he told USA Today that he was prepared to step in if a "terrible tragedy" were to happen to the president. Vance stressed, however, that Trump remains vigorous: “He's the last person making phone calls at night, and he's the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning.
“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.
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US President Donald Trump seen with family at the White House
(Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
“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.”
The speculation triggered mixed reactions on social media, with some users joking about Trump’s supposed death while others expressed concern over his health. Last month, the White House disclosed that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after tests on swelling in his legs. Officials also acknowledged that heavy makeup on his right hand in July was used to conceal a bruise from what they described as minor soft tissue irritation, linked to frequent handshakes and aspirin use.
Adding to the chatter was a comment by Simpsons creator Matt Groening at July’s Comic-Con in San Diego. He said the long-running series had no planned ending but hinted that its finale could involve Trump’s death: “We’ll continue until somebody dies. We predict that when you-know-who dies there will be dancing in the streets — except President JD Vance will outlaw dancing.”
This is not the first time Trump has been targeted by false reports of his death. In September 2023, his son Donald Trump Jr.’s X account was hacked, and a hoax post claimed Trump had died and that his son was entering the presidential race.