‘Trump is dead’ has been trending across social media and the wider internet – while the US President is almost certainly fine, where have these rumours come from?
The phrase “Trump is dead” has exploded on social media with a huge surge in chatter about the almost-certainly false rumours.
Donald Trump has not been seen in public for three days, and his absence has led to the phrase “Trump is dead” taking over X and Facebook. It comes following recent health concerns over photographs showing the US President with what appears to be a bruise on his hand. The current rumours also appear to have been fuelled by comments from Trump’s own Vice President JD Vance, as well as Simpsons creator Matt Groening.
Since taking office, there have been a number of occasions when the 79-year-old president has disappeared from public view. Many of those currently sharing the conspiracy on social media point to Trump having no scheduled events this weekend – but that is perfectly normal for a president. Trump has also been posting on Truth Social since he was last seen in public.
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JD Vance’s ‘terrible tragedy’ comments
On August 27, Vance was asked whether he would be prepared to step into Trump’s shoes should a “terrible tragedy” take place. In an interview with USA Today, Vance stressed the Commander-in-Chief was in great shape, but added that the possibility could not be ruled out.
“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,” Vance said.
“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.
“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.”
Trump’s health concerns
Trump has also faced health concerns recently. In July, the White House confirmed he has a vein condition known as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which causes the legs to swell.
The condition causes increased pressure in veins and can lead to swelling as well as ulcers, but is not thought to be life threatening. Before Trump’s condition was announced through official channels, photos shared on social media showed his swollen legs and sparked speculation over his state of health.
And earlier this week, what appears to be a bruise was again spotted on the president’s hand while he was signing an executive order. It came after he was spotted with a bruised hand in a golf video, while another image at a different event appeared to show heavy makeup applied to his hand.
Experts say the bruising could be associated with a recent cannula insertion – which would suggest the president had undergone IV therapy for an unspecified condition.
Simpsons prediction
In July, Simpsons creator Matt Groening was asked about when the show – which has run for 36 seasons – would end. He told Variety there was “no end in sight” for the show, but linked its eventual conclusion to the death of the US President.
“No, there’s no end in sight. We’re going to keep going. We’re going to go until somebody dies,” Groening said.
He then added: “When you-know-who dies, The Simpsons predicts that there will be dancing in the streets. Except President (J.D.) Vance will ban dancing.”
The comments went viral on social media given the show’s reputation for supposedly predicting real world events. Some fans believe the Simpsons predicted Trump’s own rise to power as early as 2000.