President Donald Trump spoke on Tuesday about rumors regarding his health that spread widely on social media and cable news over Labor Day weekend.
Why It Matters
After more than two dozen public events in August, including a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, August 26, Trump’s schedule suddenly became quiet. This silence led to memes and false claims online suggesting that Trump had died or was seriously ill. On Sunday, the president posted on Truth Social, saying he “never felt better.”
Trump Speaks
Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Trump at the White House on Tuesday: “[A]bout a big viral social media trend over the weekend: How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead? Did you see that?”
Trump replied, “No.”
Doocy noted, “People didn’t see you for a couple days. 1.3 million user engagements as of Saturday morning about your demise.”
Trump responded, “Well, I didn’t see that. You know, I have heard it’s sort of crazy, but last week, I did numerous news conferences, all successful. They went very well. Like this is going very well and then I didn’t do any for two days and they said there must be something wrong with him.”
He compared himself to former President Biden, saying, “Biden wouldn’t do them for months, you wouldn’t see him, and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him, and we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape.”
Trump added details about his recent activities: “I did an interview that lasted for about an hour and a half with somebody, and everybody saw that was on one of your competitors. I did numerous shows and also did a number of Truths, long Truths, I think pretty poignant Truths. No, I was very active over the weekend. They also knew I went out to visit some people at the club that I own pretty nearby on the Potomac River.”
What JD Vance Said About Trump’s Health
Vice President JD Vance told USA Today last week that Trump remains in good health despite the rumors. Vance said the president has “incredible energy” and added that he could take over if a “terrible tragedy” happened, saying his experience as second to the commander-in-chief gave him valuable “on-the-job training.”
Trump survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign.
Trump’s Health Conditions
In a memorandum released last month, Physician to the President Sean Barbabella said Trump “noted mild swelling in his lower legs.” Trump was evaluated by the White House Medical Unit as part of routine care and “out of an abundance of caution.”
Barbabella said Trump has chronic venous insufficiency, “a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” Trump is 79 years old.
There was no sign of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, and all lab tests were normal. Minor bruising on the back of his hand was also reported, likely from frequent handshakes and aspirin use, which is part of a standard cardiovascular prevention plan. The physician concluded that Trump “remains in excellent health.”
Trump had his annual physical in April. His medical history includes well-controlled high cholesterol, seasonal allergies, COVID-19 infection history, well-managed rosacea, actinic keratosis, benign moles, diverticulosis, and a benign colon polyp. Past surgeries include bilateral cataract surgery and an appendectomy at age 11.
What People Are Saying
Trump told reporters, “I’ve been very active actually, over the weekend. I didn’t hear that one. That’s pretty serious stuff.”
Vance told USA Today, “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.”
