United States President Donald Trump dismissed growing rumours about his health, saying that he has “never felt better” in his life. His statement came after speculation on social media claimed that his health was deteriorating, with the hashtag #TrumpIsDead trending widely on X.

The rumours gained attention last week when the White House released a blank public schedule for Trump, which led many to speculate about his condition. Adding to the speculation, Trump later posted a photo of himself playing golf on Saturday. However, some social media users dismissed the picture as “fake”, fuelling even more chatter.

The online conversation was further pushed by conservative commentator DC Draino, who criticised the “double standards” of the media. Draino wrote, "Joe Biden would go multiple days at a time without any public appearances, and the media would say he's 'sharp' and 'top of his game'. Meanwhile, he was wearing diapers and napping. President Trump puts in more public work hours than any other POTUS in US history, and the media freaks out if he disappears for 24 hours. Comical double standard."

Responding directly to this post on Truth Social, Trump wrote in capital letters: "NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE." He also added that Washington DC has now become a “crime-free zone”.

The debate over Trump’s health also became political after Vice President JD Vance commented on the matter. While reassuring that Trump was healthy and full of energy, Vance also said he was prepared to take over if an unforeseen event ever occurred. He told USA Today, "He's the last person making phone calls at night, and he's the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning. Yes, terrible tragedies happen. But I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people. And if, God forbid, there's a terrible tragedy, I can't think of better on-the-job training than what I've gotten over the last 200 days."

The rumours were also amplified by comments from The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. In a July remark that went viral again amid the trending hashtag, Groening linked the eventual end of the show to Trump’s death. "No, there's no end in sight. We're going to keep going. We're going to go until somebody dies. When you-know-who dies, The Simpsons predicts that there will be dancing in the streets. Except President (J D) Vance will ban dancing," he said.

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