President Donald Trump is scheduled to make an announcement from the Oval Office at 2:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday as leftists continue to run with rumors about the president’s health.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump will make “an exciting announcement related to the Department of Defense.” Trump has not made any public comments in front of cameras since last Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, sparking online rumors speculating that he is having health issues.
Over the weekend, searches such as “Where is Donald Trump,” “Is Trump dead,” and “Trump dead” were trending on Google and X as people speculated about the reason for the president’s rare time away from the media. Trump was pictured leaving the White House with his granddaughter, Kai, on Saturday morning, but even those photos were picked apart by some people on social media who claimed that “something is off.”
Trump also posted a photo on Truth Social on Sunday, showing himself golfing with former NFL coach Jon Gruden. His Truth Social account has remained active over the past week, as the president has continued to post statements addressing issues ranging from crime to tariffs. On Friday, Trump sat down with Daily Caller White House Correspondent Reagan Reese for an interview that lasted nearly an hour. The Daily Caller released the full transcript of the interview and published a photo of Trump speaking to Reese, alongside Leavitt and Communications Director Steven Cheung, in the Oval Office.
Trump also addressed the rumors in a Truth Social post on Sunday, writing, “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.” Trump’s comment was in response to a post blasting those for spinning out rumors about Trump’s health after former President Joe Biden would regularly go days without a public appearance.
Despite Trump’s continued social media posts and his lengthy interview late last week, leftists and anti-Trump commentators jumped onto the health rumors. Former ESPN and MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann wrote on X, “BREAKING: Oh nothing. Just a president who talks compulsively but has not spoken publicly in a week scheduling ‘an announcement’ at 2 PM tomorrow, per Trump official WH schedule.”
Activist and former Human Rights Campaign staffer Charlotte Clymer added, “The only important thing about tomorrow’s press conference is whether Trump can dispel the serious concerns over his health. Can he convince the public he’s not experiencing severe medical issues? Get up there, do announcement, take questions, and act normal. It shouldn’t be difficult, and yet…”
The X account Republicans Against Trump asked, “Is he resigning?”
It’s not the first time during Trump’s second term that people have floated rumors about the president’s health. Earlier this year, questions swirled about photos showing bruising on Trump’s hand. The White House said in July that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which causes swelling in his legs, but his doctor said it was “benign and common.”
“I know that many in the media have been speculating about bruising on the president’s hand and also swelling in the president’s legs,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time.
“So in the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today,” she added, saying that Dr. Sean Barbabella saw Trump over “mild swelling in his lower legs.”
Many Republicans were criticized for questioning former President Biden’s health during his presidency. The Biden administration defended Biden’s mental acuity, despite mounting observations that he struggled to communicate his message effectively when on camera. Biden’s mental lapses were put on full display during the June 27 presidential debate against Trump, and less than one month later, Biden dropped out of the 2024 race.