STERLING, Va. – President Donald Trump was photographed on Saturday heading to a golf outing, a public appearance that was meant to quell swirling social media rumors about his health. However, the photos have only fueled new and bizarre conspiracy theories, with some users on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) claiming the man in the pictures is not Trump, but a body double.
The weekend began with intense speculation about the president’s whereabouts. The hashtag #WhereIsTrump began trending on X on Friday evening after users noticed a two-day absence from public view. The mystery deepened when Trump’s weekend schedule was released with no public events listed. Online rumors intensified with some users pointing to the White House’s official livestream being down and others citing a supposed “Pentagon Pizza Index” as evidence of a crisis.
On Saturday morning, the White House released photos and videos showing a seemingly relaxed and healthy Trump at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. The images were intended to put the rumors to rest, but they have instead sparked a new wave of speculation.
Conspiracy theories about a body double quickly gained traction. One user on X wrote, “Here is a screenshot of Trumps right hand from these videos! No bruising or make-up. Either an old video or a body double.” This comment refers to a separate, ongoing rumor about a bruise on the president’s hand that has been a subject of online chatter.
Another user questioned the authenticity of the person in the photos, stating, “Does this look like Donald Trump to you. looks like a body double methinks.” A third person commented, “That’s not trump, that’s trumps body double, the body double doesn’t even look like the real trump.”
One of the more outlandish claims involved a supposed injury. “That’s a body double,” one person wrote. “The real Trump was shot in the ear. That ear looks fine.”
This new round of speculation follows earlier rumors about the president’s health that emerged this week when he was seen with a noticeable bruise on his right hand during several public appearances. Photos showed what appeared to be makeup covering the area.
In response to the initial concerns, Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, issued a statement addressing the bruising. Dr. Barbabella explained that the mark 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 further added that the president was in “excellent cognitive and physical health.”
Despite the official statements and photographs, the conspiracy theories persist, highlighting the power of social media to amplify unsubstantiated rumors and the difficulty of dispelling them once they take hold.