US President Donald Trump is set to deliver a much-anticipated speech from the Oval Office on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET. The White House details the slot on his public schedule, but the announcement itself remains a mystery.
The announcement follows the president's highly unusual lack of public appearances for more than a week and speculation about his health. In recent days, hashtags such as "Trump is dead" and "Where is Trump?" have trended on social media, feeding conspiracy theories and speculation about the 79-year-old leader's condition.
Trump had not held a public event in days; the only activity was on Truth Social—independent journalist and attorney Aaron Parnas spotted the silence. "This is an unspecific announcement, and it's been seven days of silence," Parnas said in a video post. He noted that the public had last seen Trump during a long Oval Office meeting last week.
Recently images of Trump playing golf at his club in Sterling, Virginia, over Labor Day weekend were also shared on social media platforms. Dressed in a white cap, golf shirt, and black windbreaker, he played for more than five hours on the course. While news about his outing briefly quieted some rumors, others seized on his seeming slow gait and physical difference, renewing the worries about his health. However, many netizens on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that the images shared by the White House are not recent images of the US president.
Eric Trump rushed to his father's defense, posting a note that said, "I've never felt better in my life," while deriding critics as "radical left." The White House, too, has rejected speculation, saying that the president is in "excellent health."
Rumors were further fueled by Vice President JD Vance's remarks on the issue in an interview. He said he had complete certainty that Trump would serve out his term but noted that unforeseeable tragedies could change everything. "If, God forbid, there is some horrific tragedy, I can't think of a better OJT than what I've been getting over the last 200 days," Vance said, prompting additional online speculation.
Rumors that emerged weeks ago about Trump's health, when photos revealed that his ankle was swollen and his hand was bruised, went viral. Some people online speculated that he was covering up intravenous marks with makeup. Others had more serious possibilities in mind, like congestive heart failure. The White House rebuffed those claims, saying the bruises were due to frequent handshaking and typical physical exertion.
Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Trump "remains healthy (and) energetic, without complaints," adding that "a hard push toward the end of the campaign has taken a toll." That said, the president's few public appearances in recent weeks have left many skittish.
As anticipation builds, the announcement has become the subject of intense online debate. Some speculate that Trump will directly speak about the health rumors, and some are even wondering if he's going to announce a resignation. But supporters expect Mr. Trump to seize the Oval Office address to reassert his leadership and mute critics.
With the White House remaining mum about the content of the announcement, all eyes are on Tuesday's 2 p.m. press conference, which could finally end the maelstrom of speculation surrounding Trump's health.
