The White House was forced to intervene to deny rumors circulating on social media that US President Donald Trump had been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland.
The rumors began to spread after podcaster Ed Krassenstein posted a message on the social network X stating that “rumors are growing that Donald Trump is at Walter Reed Medical Center.” His post was seen by more than eight million users within a few hours.
Later, other users added unverified details, claiming that the area around the hospital had been cordoned off for security reasons. Another X account, RealDrJaneRuby, also shared a video showing a convoy of cars with sirens roaring down a road. But the footage turned out to be old: it was from the summer of 2024, after Trump was assassinated in Pennsylvania and temporarily hospitalized.
Another false post even claimed that Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had announced Trump's death from a heart attack.
The president's spokesman, Steven Cheung, reacted on the X network by denying the news, without directly mentioning it:
"Nobody works harder for the American people than President Trump. Over the Easter weekend he is working non-stop in the Oval Office."
The White House-affiliated account, Rapid Response 47, also attacked the podcaster who had spread the news, calling his post simply a lie.
However, the 79-year-old president's health has become a hot topic during his second term. Public opinion has been drawn to his public blunders, moments when he appears sleepy in front of reporters, swollen ankles, bruises on his hands and some uncertainties about his health condition.
Rumors of a hospitalization began circulating after the White House unexpectedly announced Saturday morning that the president would no longer make public appearances during the day. The announcement raised questions, as Trump typically spends weekends at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, playing golf.
The last time Trump was in the hospital was in October, when he underwent an MRI. He told reporters aboard Air Force One that the results were "perfect."
Doctors have previously said the president suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, but according to his personal physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, Trump "continues to demonstrate excellent overall health."
