When President Donald Trump finally reappeared in the Oval Office on September 2, 2025, after nearly a week out of the public eye, he did so with a characteristic flourish—brushing off the swirling online rumors about his health and even his supposed demise. The 79-year-old president, who had been the subject of a viral death hoax and intense speculation on social media platforms like X and BlueSky, called the chatter “fake news” and insisted he had been “very active” over the Labor Day weekend.
The speculation began when Trump, who is known for his near-constant media presence, went several days without a public appearance. According to The Associated Press, not even glimpses of the president at his Virginia golf course could slow the rumor mill. Some users on social media, fueled by political opponents and conspiracy-minded influencers, began to suggest that Trump was gravely ill or had died, especially after photos surfaced showing bruising on his right hand and swelling around his ankles.
At his first public event in a week, Trump was asked directly about the rumors. “How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy quipped. Trump, unfazed, replied, “No,” when asked if he’d seen the speculation. “I knew they were saying, like: ‘Is he OK? How is he feeling? What’s wrong?’” Trump told reporters. He dismissed the rumors as “fake news” and reiterated, “I was very active over the weekend.”
According to CNN, Trump spent the holiday shuttling between the White House and his golf course, though he did not speak publicly. He also posted frequently on Truth Social, his personal social media platform, including a 247-word post on August 30 recounting a minor confrontation with a Rose Garden subcontractor. On August 31, he wrote, “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”
Still, the president’s absence from the spotlight—his last press interaction had been on August 26—was enough to set off a storm of speculation. The rumors were further stoked by visible bruising on Trump’s hand, which some observers online took as evidence of more serious health problems. The White House, however, moved quickly to quash such theories. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump was “perfectly fine and has a tremendous amount of energy.” She told CNN, “The made-up speculation online is crazy and baseless, and it’s clearly being pushed by Democrat activists and left-wing lunatics.”
The White House also clarified the medical facts behind Trump’s visible symptoms. According to Dr. Sean Barbabella, the president’s physician, Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition among older adults in which veins in the legs can’t properly return blood to the heart, causing swelling. The bruising on his hand, Barbabella explained, was due to frequent handshaking and the president’s regular use of aspirin, which increases the likelihood of bruising. “Chronic venous insufficiency is an incredibly common diagnosis,” Dr. Megan Ranney, dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told CNN. “Assuming (Barbabella’s) reports are true, it would suggest that President Trump’s diagnosis is one that is almost incidental, and based off those reports, they’ve ruled out all of the dangerous things that could’ve been causing leg swelling.”
Despite these reassurances, the attention paid to Trump’s health has been relentless. According to The Economic Times, Vice President J.D. Vance, the third-youngest VP in U.S. history, was quick to assert that Trump was in “good shape” and would “complete his four-year term in the White House with ease.” However, Vance also acknowledged his own readiness to step in, stating, “Terrible tragedies happen,” but insisted, “The president is in incredibly good health.”
Trump himself has a history of both boasting about his stamina and being less than transparent about his health. After launching his first campaign in 2015, he released a letter from his doctor claiming he would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” In 2020, details about his COVID-19 hospitalization were withheld, only to be revealed later that his condition had been more serious than initially disclosed. These episodes have only added to the scrutiny surrounding his health in his current term.
Adding to the online rumor mill was Trump’s own recent cryptic statement about his faith during an August 19 appearance on Fox & Friends: “I want to try and get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I’m really at the bottom of the totem pole.” This, coupled with his reduced public appearances and visible hand bruising at an August 25 White House briefing, set off a new round of speculation about his wellbeing.
Still, as the Associated Press noted, the president was not silent during his absence. He gave interviews, including a lengthy one with the Daily Caller, and continued to post on Truth Social. According to sources close to the president, the bruising on his hand is something he’s been self-conscious about for some time, and until recently, he’d been covering it with makeup. A White House official told CNN, “He made a decision to stop covering it and just own it because he knows people know about it.”
Trump’s allies, meanwhile, have pointed to his constant media engagement and full schedule as evidence of his vigor, contrasting it with his predecessor Joe Biden’s more limited public presence. But as both parties prepare for the upcoming midterms, it’s clear that questions about Trump’s age and health will remain a persistent political issue. California Governor Gavin Newsom even posted a satirical Instagram compilation of Trump’s stumbles and hand bruises, underscoring how the president’s health has become fodder for both political opponents and internet meme culture.
Experts like Dr. Ranney advocate for continued transparency regarding the health of sitting presidents, noting the “long history of non-transparency around presidential illnesses” in the United States. She added, “This administration has pledged radical transparency, and I think the American public deserves that.”
For now, President Trump appears determined to project strength and brush off concerns. As he told reporters, “It’s sort of crazy. A lot of people know I was very active this Labor Day.” With his 80th birthday approaching next June, the oldest president ever inaugurated seems intent on proving that, rumors aside, he’s still very much at the helm.
