Donald Trump Jr. revealed that he called his father over Labor Day weekend ‘to make sure’ he was still alive amid viral internet rumors he had died.
The 47-year-old told Newsmax he saw the trending posts on X about his father’s disappearance and decided it was time for a check in.
‘I called my father over the weekend and be like, “Hey, just want to make sure you’re not dead,”‘ Don Jr. said.
‘”I know my daughter’s playing golf with you as we speak, you know, I keep reading about it on Twitter, so I just want to make sure.” [He] didn’t even know what I was talking about.’
Trump, 79, had a low-key weekend with no formal engagements over Labor Day weekend, sparking theories online that his health had deteriorated.
Some even went so far as to say he was already dead.
The rumors were exacerbated when Trump allegedly shared an old golfing picture as ‘proof of life.’
The 47-year-old said he saw the trending posts on X about his father’s disappearance and decided it was time for a check in
Donald Trump Jr. has weighed in on the viral internet rumors his father had died over Labor Day weekend, joking that he called him just ‘to make sure’ he was still alive
Trump shared a Truth Social post of himself pictured alongside former NFL coach Jon Gruden.
‘Great playing Golf with Jon Gruden — A really nice guy, and true character!’ the president wrote in a caption accompanying the picture of Gruden in a Trump cap and purple polo.
Trump had been seen at a distance at his National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, on Saturday, but Gruden couldn’t be placed there at the same time.
In fact, it was understood he traveled to the golf course with his granddaughter, Kai. Don Jr. has now confirmed that Trump and Kai were golfing together.
Fueling speculation further, social media sleuths dug up a photo of Gruden taken the week earlier on August 23 at the same golf course wearing the exact same outfit.
Critics questioned whether it was likely he had returned to Virginia a week later wearing the same outfit for another round of golf.
Shortly after the old picture of Gruden went viral, footage taken by AP of Trump on the same day emerged in which he was wearing the same outfit as the one in the photo he claimed was from this weekend.
Trump, 79, had a low-key weekend with no formal engagements over Labor Day weekend, sparking theories online that his health had deteriorated
Trump quelled the rumors himself with a press conference on Tuesday, during which he was asked about the mix up.
Trump dismissed speculation by saying he was ‘very active this Labor Day.’
‘Really? I didn’t see that,’ Trump initially said when a Fox News reporter referred to the rumors. ‘It’s sort of crazy, but last week, I did numerous news conferences, all successful.’
Trump noted that the media was not holding him to the same standard as former President Joe Biden.
‘I didn’t do any [public events] for two days, and they said there must be something wrong with him. Biden would not do them for months, you wouldn’t see him, and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him, and we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape,’ Trump said.
A Truth Social post of himself pictured alongside former NFL coach Jon Gruden sparked only added to the pile-on when eagle-eyed critics raised questions about when the photo was actually taken
Trump was spotted with what appeared to be bruising on his hand, but his physician has reassured the public that it is nothing of concern.
Instead, he said that was a result of ‘irritation from frequent handshaking and use of aspirin ‘as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention’ treatment.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed in July that the president was suffering from ‘chronic venous insufficiency,’ that was causing ‘mild swelling’ in his lower legs.
The president’s physician revealed in a memo that his condition was ‘a benign and common condition’ in elderly people but that there was no evidence of any serious arterial disease.
