Trump death rumors spread online after brief absence

Rumors that former President Donald Trump had died erupted across social media on August 30 after the Republican leader was not seen at public events for several days, sparking a wave of memes, unverified videos and speculation about his health. The frenzy, which trended under hashtags such as "Trump is dead" and "trumpdied," prompted a flurry of denials from journalists and officials and renewed scrutiny of the reasons for his brief absence from the public eye.

The chatter intensified after images circulated showing bruising on one of Trump’s hands and photos earlier this month that displayed swelling in his legs. Some users also pointed to what they said were ambulances near the White House and to social media posts interpreting a lowered flag as a sign of mourning. None of those claims are substantiated, and no official statement announcing his death has been released.

A US official quoted by a journalist on social media said the former president was "OK" and would "play golf this morning," while pool photographs posted by journalists showed his motorcade moving on Saturday morning. Trump himself has remained active on his Truth Social platform since his last public...