Speculation over President Donald Trump’s health went viral across social media during the Labor Day weekend, prompting him to publicly dismiss the rumor as baseless.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump brushed off the claims, which included false reports of his death, and instead described his weekend as energetic. “I didn’t do anything for two days, and they said, ‘There must be something wrong with him,’” he told reporters, calling the rumors “fake news.”
The online frenzy began Friday night, fueled by an empty public calendar and recirculated images showing bruises on Trump’s hand. By Saturday morning, hashtags questioning his wellbeing were trending widely. The talk began to ease after he was spotted leaving the White House with his grandchildren, heading to his Virginia golf club in a white polo shirt and signature red MAGA cap.
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“I was very active over the weekend. I went out to visit some people at the club that I own pretty nearby on the Potomac River. No, I’ve been very active, actually,” Trump said, contrasting his appearance with President Joe Biden’s. “You wouldn’t see him (Biden) and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him. And we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape.”
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The White House previously attributed the bruising on Trump’s hands to frequent handshakes and aspirin use, while noting some mild leg swelling from a “benign and common condition” in people over 70. “Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in July, stressing that doctors had found no indications of heart failure, kidney problems, or systemic illness.
In April, Trump’s physician, U.S. Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, reported that the president was in “excellent health.” The medical summary listed Trump’s height, a weight of 224 pounds, blood pressure of 128/74 mmHg, resting heart rate of 62, oxygen level of 99%, and temperature of 98.6°F.
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