President Donald Trump appeared to be in good health — and was joking with his MAGA allies — during his first public appearance following fierce speculation and rumors about his condition over the weekend.
Trump seemed to be in good spirits as he was surrounded by allies while announcing that the U.S. Space Command would be moved from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama, which Trump dubbed “Rocket City.”
“It is a very important day and an important announcement with great friends of mine. I think I can say, this group is every one of them,” Trump said while looking amongst the group. He then joked: “I rate a 10.”
“I can’t always say that, even if they’re Republicans, and these are Republicans. Great Republicans,” Trump added.
The announcement was Trump’s first public appearance in a week. While the president was seen golfing at his course in Stirling, Virginia, over the weekend, he had no official engagements since a marathon three-hour cabinet meeting last Tuesday.
The president’s empty schedule this past weekend sparked mass speculation and frenzied online rumors about his health.
Conspiracy theorists took to Google and social media to inquire about Trump’s condition. On Saturday, questions about his health were among the top Google searches, while “Where is Donald Trump” was trending on X.
In addition to Trump keeping out of the public eye for days, eagle-eyed theorists pointed to an interview Vice President JD Vance gave last week in which he said he was ready to assume the presidency if a “terrible tragedy occurred.” In the same interview, Vance noted that Trump was in “incredibly good health.”
Trump addressed the concerns Sunday, writing, “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.” His comments were linked back to a Truth Social post that made disparaging comments about former President Joe Biden’s Health. The post was also made by a user who noted that the “media freaks out if Trump disappears for 24 hours.”
Despite questions over his whereabouts, Trump shared dozens of posts on Truth Social over the holiday weekend, including declarations that D.C. is now safe and a call to end mail-in voting. He also posted a bizarre rant, lashing out at a White House Rose Garden worker for damaging a piece of stone.
Speculation over Trump’s potentially declining health has continued to grow ever since photos of his swollen ankles and bruised hands began circulating online.
White House officials, however, have insisted that Trump has chronic venous insufficiency, a condition common amongst older people that occurs when veins in the legs struggle to bring blood to the heart.
Trump, who has frequently worn an ill-fitting shade of concealer on his right hand to cover up a recurring bruise, went makeup-free late last month while signing executive orders in the Oval Office.
The White House and Trump’s doctor have maintained that the president is in “excellent health” and that the hand bruise is the result of frequent handshaking and intake of aspirin.
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