Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland has responded to viral rumors that Melania Trump visited the hospital last week amid concerns about President Donald Trump’s health.
When asked about the first lady’s reported visit, a spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment and referred Newsweek to the White House. Newsweek had also contacted the White House for a response via email.
The rumors began after veterinary technician student Coral Ben Atar posted on the Instagram-linked social media app Threads on Saturday, saying she saw Melania Trump at Walter Reed on Thursday. Newsweek reached out to Ben Atar for comment via direct message on Threads.
Why It Matters
Walter Reed is a medical center that often treats U.S. presidents. According to the New York Post, it has a presidential unit controlled by the White House and equipped with protective devices and communications gear. Trump was previously treated there when he was hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2020, as reported by Metro.
Concern about the president’s health has grown in recent months, especially after photos circulated showing his hands with purple bruising and his legs appearing swollen. Amid this speculation, the White House released a memo saying Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which his physician described as “benign and common.”
What To Know
“Went to Walter Reed on Thursday to be monitored in Labor/Delivery because I’m very pregnant,” wrote Ben Atar, who uses the username denakisland2.0 on Threads and Instagram. “Mid being monitored in triage, guess who showed up for an unscheduled ‘tour’ of L&D? Melania Trump. Even the staff was confused as to why she was there.”
Ben Atar’s post quickly spread online and was shared on other social media platforms as people speculated about the president’s whereabouts. At the time, Trump had not been seen in public since a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
“Looking at news reports that Trump has disappeared I find it a little odd that melania [sic] was randomly roaming the halls of Walter Reed only to follow with reports that her husband is MIA,” Ben Atar added.
By the end of last week, rumors even claimed the president had passed away, but these were dismissed after Trump shared a photo on Truth Social showing him playing golf with American football coach Jon Gruden.
While speculation continues online, the White House has not confirmed whether the president or first lady were at Walter Reed last week. Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday night saying he “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”
Trump is also scheduled to make an announcement today at 2 p.m. ET, though the agenda indicates it will relate to the Department of Defense.
What People Are Saying
@KenTFoss, an X user with over 600 followers, wrote: “Melania has been spotted at Walter Reed, and all the roads into the place are closed.”
@CattardSlim, an account with over 3,000 followers, added: “JD Vance, Don Jr, Melania, Ivanka, & Tiffany haven’t posted in over 2 days,” calling it “unheard of.”
What Happens Next
Scrutiny over the president’s health is expected to continue, although the White House and Trump’s medical team have said he is in good health.
