Donald Trump was absent from public view for several days, sparking rumors about his health, with many even believing he had died on social media. Usually, he rarely disappears for hours without a controversial written statement or press conference.

Even brief footage of Trump visiting his golf course over the weekend was not enough to quell the social media rumors.

During a press conference on Tuesday, his first public appearance in about a week, Trump was directly asked about the matter.

Death Rumor

Peter Doocy from Fox News asked, “How did you find out you died over the weekend?” “Did you see that?”

“No,” the 79-year-old Trump replied coldly. Senators and administration officials gathered around him for the Space Command headquarters announcement smiled.

The president said he was unaware that people were wondering if he had died but heard there were concerns about his health. Trump said, “I knew they were saying: Is he okay? How is he feeling? What’s wrong?” describing the speculation as “fake news,” and affirming he “was very active over the weekend.”

Trump mocked former President Joe Biden, saying, “Last week, I held many press conferences, I didn’t hold any for two days, and they said something must be wrong with me. Biden hasn’t held any press conferences for months, no one ever said anything was wrong,” confirming these were “rumors.”

On Tuesday, Trump noted he had done some interviews during the days he was not publicly visible, and he was posting on his social media site “Truth Social.” He wrote some “extended truths,” as his posts are known, and some “very impactful truths.”

In one such post on Sunday, he said he “never felt better in his life.”

Hiding Bruises

According to the Associated Press, Trump was recently seen with bruises on the back of his right hand, sometimes poorly concealed with makeup, and swelling around his ankles.

His doctor, Sean Conley, in a letter issued by the White House, said tests confirmed the leg issue was due to “chronic venous insufficiency,” a benign and common condition especially in people over 70 years old.

The doctor said the bruises on Trump’s hand were consistent with mild soft tissue irritation from repeated handshakes and aspirin use, which Trump takes as part of a “standard cardiovascular disease prevention regimen.”

Regarding the bruises, White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt stated on July 17 that Trump had swelling in his lower legs and bruises on his right hand after photos showed swelling in his ankles and makeup covering part of his hand.

Unstable Health

After announcing his first presidential campaign in 2015, Trump released an exaggerated letter from his doctor saying his “physical strength and stamina are exceptional” and that he would be “the healthiest person ever elected president.”

In 2020, the White House withheld some details about Trump’s hospitalization for COVID-19, such as a worrying drop in his blood oxygen levels. It was later revealed the president was much sicker than the White House had announced.

Vance Ready

Regarding Trump’s health, when asked in a press interview if he was ready to assume the role of commander-in-chief, Vance said he was confident Trump was “in good health,” but also indicated his readiness to intervene if anything happened to the president.

Before Tuesday, Trump’s last extended contact with reporters was during a government meeting a week earlier. Trump chaired the session that lasted over three hours on August 26, his longest on-camera appearance as president.

Trump underwent a comprehensive medical exam on April 11 at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center near Washington. According to official results released by the White House, the exam showed his heart rate was normal and he had no serious health problems.

At 79 years old, Trump became the oldest person to assume the U.S. presidency in January.