Vice President JD Vance appeared to use the recent rumors about President Donald Trump’s health to discredit the media Wednesday, but it was a swing and a miss.
“If the media you consumed told you that Donald Trump was on his death bed because he didn’t do a press conference for 3 days, imagine what else they’re lying to you about,” Vance, who regularly attacks the press, posted on X.
In reality, no reputable media outlet ever reported such a thing. The rumors about Trump’s health lived on social networks — largely on the one owned by onetime Trump pal Elon Musk — and began circulating when Trump disappeared from the public eye for a few days, appeared with large bruises on his hand and made strange comments about hoping he gets into heaven.
Vance’s remarks fueled the rumor mill, too. Last week, people seized onto comments he made about being ready to assume the presidency if some “terrible tragedy” rendered Trump unable to serve.
The White House did not immediately respond when asked to clarify which “media” Vance was referring to in his X post.
