Overview

• Trump said on Truth Social that he had never felt better, and Getty-dated photos showed him golfing on August 30–31.
• The White House attributed discoloration and swelling on the president’s hands and ankles to aspirin therapy for chronic venous insufficiency.
• A late‑August interview in which Vice President J.D. Vance said he stood ready in case of a “terrible tragedy,” a brief lull in public events, and a delayed press-office statement helped seed speculation.
• Hashtags like #trumpdead trended as posts and searches surged, with a Laura Rozen post drawing 33 million views, more than 44,000 Bluesky posts noting “Trump is dead,” and TikTok clips collecting tens of thousands of likes.
• Outlets highlighted unverified influencer diagnoses and a likely fan-edited Simpsons clip, while the president dismissed the rumor as fake when asked at a press conference.