President Donald Trump sought to dispel swirling social media rumors about his health Tuesday, saying he was ‘very active’ over the Labor Day weekend.
‘I didn’t do anything for two days, and they said ‘there must be something wrong with him,’’ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, describing the speculation about his death as ‘fake news.’
Trump’s comments followed a wave of unfounded speculation that began Friday night and stretched into Saturday morning, fueled by an empty public schedule and recycled photos showing bruising on his hand.
The online chatter subsided after Trump was seen leaving the White House with his grandchildren for his golf club in Virginia on Saturday. He was seen wearing a white polo shirt and red MAGA hat.
‘I was very active over the weekend. I went out to visit some people at the club that I own pretty nearby on the Potomac River. No, I’ve been very active, actually,’ Trump said, drawing a sharp comparison to his predecessor, President Joe Biden.
‘You wouldn’t see him (Biden) and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him,’ Trump said. ‘And we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape.’
In July, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was experiencing bruising on his hands that was attributable to ‘frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.’
She added that he also had mild swelling in his legs that stemmed from a ‘benign and common condition’ in individuals older than age 70.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.