On Saturday, August 30, 2025, President Donald Trump was spotted at his Virginia golf course, flashing his trademark thumbs-up and sporting his signature red "Make America Great Again" hat. He was joined by his granddaughter, Kai, on the White House lawn before heading to Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, where he was seen shaking hands with supporters and appearing relaxed and in high spirits. The public outing came at a time when wild rumors about the president’s health were swirling across social media, fueled by days of public silence and a viral photograph showing bruising on his right hand.
It all began earlier in the week when online speculation erupted over Trump’s absence from public events. According to PEOPLE and Nexstar Media, the hashtags #TrumpIsDead and #WhereIsTrump surged to the top of X (formerly Twitter) on August 29 and 30, with users questioning the president’s well-being and whereabouts. Some even joked about giving away money for every like on tweets declaring Trump dead, while others accused political opponents of wishful thinking. The fire was further stoked by the president’s empty public schedule, which had not listed any events since his Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, August 26.
The rumors took an even stranger turn when a photograph from that Cabinet meeting went viral, showing a visible bruise on Trump’s hand. As reported by Nexstar Media, this led to a flurry of speculation, with some users suggesting the president was hiding a serious health issue. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed during a press briefing that Trump had recently undergone testing for swelling in his legs and bruises on his hands. The results: a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a condition common in people over 70 where veins struggle to pump blood back to the heart. The bruises, Leavitt noted, are often covered up with makeup for public appearances.
Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, weighed in to calm the waters. As quoted by the Hindustan Times, Barbabella explained that the bruising was “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.” He emphasized that Trump was “otherwise in excellent cognitive and physical health.”
But the internet wasn’t satisfied. As the president’s absence stretched on, conspiracy theories began to sprout. Some users on X claimed the man seen at the golf course wasn’t Trump at all, but a body double. One post read, “Here is a screenshot of Trump’s right hand from these videos! No bruising or make-up. Either an old video or a body double.” Another declared, “That’s not Trump, that’s Trump’s body double, the body double doesn’t even look like the real Trump.” Others pointed to the president’s ear—injured in an assassination attempt just over a year ago—as supposed evidence, saying, “That’s a body double. The real Trump was shot in the ear. That ear looks fine.”
Despite the online frenzy, Trump’s allies and family appeared unfazed. Vice President JD Vance played a central role in quelling the rumors. In a recent interview with USA Today, Vance addressed the speculation head-on, saying, “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.” He added, “And if, God forbid, there’s a terrible tragedy, I can’t think of better on-the-job training than what I’ve gotten over the last 200 days.” Vance also emphasized Trump’s stamina, telling the media outlet, “He’s the last person making phone calls at night, and he’s the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning.”
Trump himself did little to address the rumors directly, but his actions spoke volumes. In addition to the golf outing, he granted an in-person interview to The Daily Caller, published on August 30, in which he appeared composed and energetic. According to those present, the president displayed the same vigor that has characterized his political comeback. Trump, now 79 years old, is the oldest person ever sworn in as U.S. president, having celebrated his birthday on June 14, 2025. He had not made a public appearance since the Cabinet meeting on August 26, but his return to the public eye—smiling, golfing, and engaging with supporters—seemed designed to put the rumors to rest.
Of course, this isn’t the first time a president’s health has been the subject of public scrutiny. The news cycle also turned its attention to former President Bill Clinton, 79, after he was seen with what appeared to be a portable defibrillator while leaving a New York airport with his wife, Hillary Clinton. The Daily Mail and The New York Post reported that the device resembled a Propaq MD Air Medical Bag, a compact defibrillator. Clinton, who has a long history of health issues—including a quadruple bypass and multiple hospitalizations—has not released an official statement on his current condition. Both Bill and Hillary Clinton are scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee in October regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case, adding further public interest to their health and activities.
Back in Washington, the persistent rumors about Trump’s health have dovetailed with a dip in his approval ratings, as recent polling shows. While some of his critics have seized on the health speculation as a sign of his political vulnerability, his supporters have dismissed the concerns as baseless or even malicious. “Democrats are thinking wishfully,” one social media user posted, referencing similar hoaxes that circulated during Trump’s 2020 bout with COVID-19.
For all the noise online, the official word from Trump’s team remains unchanged: the president is in good health, brimming with energy, and ready to serve. Whether that’s enough to silence the rumor mill remains to be seen. But for now, the image of Trump—hat on, club in hand, and a grin on his face—stands as the administration’s answer to the internet’s wildest tales.
As the nation watches its oldest president navigate both the rigors of office and the relentless glare of public scrutiny, one thing is clear: in the age of social media, even a day or two out of the spotlight is enough to set imaginations racing. But for those looking for evidence of decline, Saturday’s sun-drenched scenes on the Virginia greens offered little to support their case.
