Trump, Who Questioned His Opponents' Health, Rebuffs Rumors About His Own

“In this environment, group will prehend connected immoderate seems to corroborate what they suspected, and that’s evidently not a awesome business for getting meticulous information,” said Brendan Nyhan, a governmental subject professor astatine Dartmouth University. “What we’ve seen illustrates nan measurement that everyone is susceptible to misinformation and online rumors.”

Speculation continued connected Saturday greeting erstwhile a photographer took a picture of Trump successful a play shirt, heading retired of nan White House pinch a grandchild. Online, group scrutinized nan photograph for indications that Trump mightiness not beryllium well.

The adjacent day, Trump posted a photograph of himself connected Truth Social golfing pinch erstwhile NFL coach Jon Gruden, who resigned from nan Las Vegas Raiders successful 2021 aft sending violative emails, though Trump did not opportunity erstwhile nan photograph pinch Gruden was taken. That prompted a caller information of questions.

A White House aide, speaking connected information of anonymity, confirmed that Trump golfed pinch Gruden connected Sunday.

Trump straight addressed his wellness successful a Truth Social post connected Sunday, saying, “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”

But connected Monday, rumors swirled anew erstwhile images posted connected X and elsewhere appeared to show personification throwing a trash container retired of a second-floor White House window, seemingly astatine likelihood pinch accustomed protocol. The videos received millions of views.

What happened remains unclear. The White House aide, speaking connected information of anonymity, said that a contractor tossed retired nan bags while doing regular attraction astatine nan White House while Trump was away.

Asked astir nan images connected Tuesday, Trump said nan windows are sealed, which would contradict that explanation. He said nan video was apt an “AI-generated” fake.

This wasn’t nan first clip nan net throbbed pinch commentary astir Trump’s health. In September 2020, Trump posted connected societal media a denial that he had suffered “a bid of mini-strokes” — without anyone having suggested that he had. And successful October 2020, he was diagnosed pinch Covid-19 successful a scare that gripped nan government 2 months earlier nan rollout of vaccines. He spent 3 days astatine Walter Reed.

Inside nan White House connected Tuesday, aides took statement of nan astir caller buzz surrounding Trump’s health, but didn’t look to judge it amounted to overmuch of anything.

“The made-up speculation online is crazy and baseless, and it’s intelligibly being pushed by Democrat activists and left-wing lunatics,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump is perfectly good and has a tremendous magnitude of energy. He has been wholly transparent astir his wellness pinch nan public, dissimilar his predecessor, who went weeks without speaking to nan media and spent a 3rd of his presidency sleeping connected vacation.”

A Biden spokeswoman declined to comment.

The kerfuffle seemed to subside aft Trump's quality Tuesday, but net conspiracies often beryllium reliable to quash. As evening approached, "#Trumpdead" was erstwhile again trending connected X.