The US President Donald Trump has been photographed for the first time following a wave of bizarre online rumours falsely claiming he had died. The speculation, which spread rapidly across social media platforms, was quashed when Trump was seen on the South Lawn of the White House with his granddaughter, Kai Trump, preparing for a trip to his golf course in Sterling, Virginia.
The photos served as a definitive rebuttal to the claims, supported further by a report from CNN journalist Barak Ravid, who cited a US official confirming Trump was in good health and planning to play golf that morning.
The rumours appear to have originated from Trump’s unusual two-day absence from public view, coupled with an empty schedule on his official calendar last Friday, August 29th. These factors triggered a flurry of conspiracy theories online, including one particularly odd theory from Reddit. It suggested that increased activity at pizzerias near the Pentagon indicated a national security event — a theory previously linked to military action under Trump’s administration. However, the Twitter account monitoring these establishments clarified that the uptick in business was not significant enough to suggest any major developments.
Fuel was added to the fire when Vice President JD Vance made comments in an interview about being prepared to assume the presidency in the event of a “terrible tragedy”. Though he quickly praised Trump’s vitality, the mention of succession struck many as ominous and led to further speculation online.
Health concerns surrounding Trump have been circulating for some time. Recently, he was photographed with a visible bruise on his hand, which his team attempted to conceal with heavy makeup. He has also been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood flow in the legs.
This series of events — a brief disappearance, cryptic comments, and a history of health issues — created fertile ground for misinformation. While Trump’s public appearance has quelled the immediate panic, the incident underscores how quickly false narratives can escalate in the digital age.
