Social media: After JD Vance’s ‘readiness’ to take charge, “Trump is dead!” goes viral
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: US Vice-President JD Vance’s comments this week on the line of succession may have sparked the trend. Then, for a different reason, the American flag unfurled half-mast at the White House. But social media went to town speculating if “Trump is dead!”
For a couple of days, President Donald Trump trended on X (formerly Twitter) but not for his usual political moves, announcement of tariffs or off-the-cuff remarks. Social media posts with the phrase “Trump Is Dead” took over the platforms and made the digital world look for confirmations and reasons why it was viral, the media reported on Saturday.
Reports suggested it might have been sparked by persistent rumours over his health, his Vice-President’s remarks, or even by someone like Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons.
The phrase trended after Vance’s remarks surfaced. When asked by USA Today on August 27 if he was prepared to step into the role of the Commander-in-Chief should a “terrible tragedy” struck, the 41-year-old V-P stressed that the 79-year-old President was fit and energetic, but unforeseen events could not be ruled out.
“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,” Vance said.
“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.” Vance’s these comments on the line of succession may have sparked the trend.
Trump has also faced health concerns recently. In July, the White House confirmed he was suffering from chronic venous insufficiency, a vein condition that causes leg swelling.
Even before the official announcement was made, photos of his visibly swollen legs sparked speculation. Trump also survived two assassination attempts while campaigning in the run-up to his return to the White House in 2024.
The chatter was amplified by The Simpsons creator Matt Groening’s reported remarks at San Diego Comic-Con in July, that there was “no end in sight” for the show, but linked its eventual conclusion to Donald Trump’s death.
“No, there’s no end in sight. We’re going to keep going. We’re going to go until somebody dies,” Groening said.
He then added something that immediately set social media alight. “When you-know-who dies, The Simpsons predicts that there will be dancing in the streets. Except President (J.D.) Vance will ban dancing.”
The famous TV show has a long history of eerily accurate predictions about Trump, from his election victory in 2000 to a re-election.
It is not the first time that fake reports of the President’s death have gained traction online. In September 2023, Donald Trump Jr.’s X account was hacked, and the hacker posted a fake message declaring his father had died and that he was pledging to run for presidency. The claim was swiftly debunked when Donald Trump himself posted on Truth Social to assure supporters he was alive.
