Trump is dead: a new conspiracy theory about the US president has been launched in the US
Tens of thousands of posts appeared on social media under the hashtag "Trump is dead."
US Vice President J.D. Vance unwittingly launched a wave of messages about President Donald Trump on the social network X (former Twitter). Under the hashtag "Trump is dead", at least 87 thousand posts were published on 30 August with a total reach of about 1.3 million users. This was reported by CNBC and Newsweek.
The reason was a combination of Vance's unfortunate phrase and numerous speculations about the health of the American leader.
How the rumour originated
In an interview with USA Today on 27 August, Vance said he was "ready to be president" if a "terrible tragedy" happened to the current head of state. At the same time, he emphasised that Trump is said to be in excellent physical shape and in "incredibly good health".
Despite the assurances, the line sparked a wave of jokes and interpretations, which quickly turned into a mass discussion on social networks.
"The Simpsons" predicted again?
Matt Groening, creator of the animated series "The Simpsons," added fuel to the discussion. At July's Comic-Con in San Diego, he joked that the show would go on "until someone dies," adding a transparent allusion to Trump.
It's worth noting that episodes of the show have already "prophesied" Trump's death twice - in 2024 and on 12 April 2025. These coincidences were actively quoted by X users.
In social networks, opinions were divided: some ironically discussed the "death" of the President, others expressed alarm about his health, and some users openly rejoiced.
Is there any basis for the rumours?
The White House previously confirmed that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a disease typical for people of his age. In addition, users repeatedly drew attention to the bruise on the president's arm, which allegedly indicates injections.
The administration explained it with "minor soft tissue irritation" from frequent handshakes, as well as regular aspirin intake as part of cardiovascular disease prevention.
Despite the rumours, Trump appeared on the golf course with his granddaughter Kye Trump on August 30. Photos and videos of him quickly went viral in the media and on social media, definitively disproving reports of his "death." Thus, the hashtag was merely the result of a combination of political rhetoric, internet humour and conspiracy speculation typical of the social media age.