Latest Social Media Conspiracy Theory Suggests Trump Wears A Leg Brace

A new theory being widely shared on social media is that President Donald Trump may be wearing a “hidden” leg brace. The unsubstantiated claims took hold after the president, who will turn 79 on Saturday, stumbled while boarding Air Force One last weekend. Trump’s slip on the stairs to the presidential aircraft was quickly compared to that of former President Biden while also boarding the plane.

Images have since circulated on various online platforms of Trump inspecting work in the Rose Garden on Monday, which appeared to show “bulges” in his trousers, possibly indicating the presence of leg braces. That soon set off a wave of theories.

In one, it was suggested that Trump’s decision to create a Mar-a-Lago-style patio in the famous White House Rose Garden was because he has trouble walking on thick grass and would be steadier on pavement. However, the administration has said it is because the heels of women attending events can sink into the ground when it is wet or even damp.

Another theory that gained traction was that Trump was wearing a Foley catheter, possibly due to bladder issues. Still, others said it would enable the president to give lengthy speeches or attend events without needing to excuse himself to use the bathroom.

The White House has dismissed the claims as “fake news.”

Such Wild Theories Aren’t New

This is hardly the first time that a slip on the stairs of Air Force One or an ill-fitting suit has been seen as being at least somewhat “newsworthy.” In the social media era, such matters can’t go unnoticed.

Trump often joined, if he hadn’t already led, the efforts to call out any misstep by former President Joe Biden, when images and videos circulated of Biden slipping or tripping while boarding Air Force One.

The previous administration, aware of how quickly a minor mistake can go viral, took steps to minimize the risk of falls on the presidential aircraft. That included having Biden use the shorter stairway, which, in turn, still drew attention and highlighted the question of his age and his ability to serve in the highest office.

An irony for Mr. Biden is that he may have inadvertently caused some of the issues. Just weeks after winning the 2020 election, Biden suffered a hairline fracture on his foot while playing with one of his dogs. Not wanting to appear weak or feeble, he reportedly refused to wear the walking boot when cameras were around. The inconsistency in wearing the boot may have contributed to his persistent stiff gait, which became increasingly noticeable during his presidency.

Social Media Users See Things Differently

There is the old saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the truth is also in the eye of those who see what they want to see. It was in the pre-social media days, but some claims still went “viral” in 2004 that former President George W. Bush had worn a radio receiver connected to an earpiece that fed him answers during a debate with then-Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

The only “evidence” was a bulge in Bush’s jacket. If social media had been around, it likely would have received even more scrutiny.

Similar allegations were leveled against former Vice President Kamala Harris during last September’s debate with Trump, with some users claiming she wore a pair of Nova H1 Audio earphones disguised as pearl earrings. The fact that the earnings were part of a Kickstarter campaign and never released didn’t squelch the rumors. Whether the rumors swayed voter opinion is unclear, but it is a reminder that perception matters.

It hasn’t just been fashion-related issues that now trend on social media, either.

In 2016, rumors also circulated that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was replaced by a body double to conceal serious health issues. It came after Clinton was forced to leave a 9/11 memorial event early after feeling overheated and was diagnosed with pneumonia. It wasn’t the only, or even the most high-profile, rumor that dogged Clinton, but it certainly didn’t help her campaign.

The Media Used To Cover For The President

There have also been allegations that the mainstream media didn’t dig deep enough into Biden’s stumbles, including a fall on stage during the June 2023 U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony. Critics of Mr. Biden argue that it wasn’t just White House insiders who concealed his decline, but that the media also failed to do their job, a failure that now seems far more apparent.

It wasn’t until the presidential debate between Biden and Trump last June that the issue became too difficult to ignore. Still, questions about Biden’s fitness had already been regularly raised on social media. That has given credence to the claim that social media covers news stories that the mainstream media won’t.

The truth is that until the modern era, the media didn’t cover such aspects of the presidency. It was readily apparent that Franklin Roosevelt’s health was declining, but the country was shocked when he passed away in April 1945, just months into his record fourth term.

It didn’t become widely known that he was confined to a wheelchair until after his death. Such matters weren’t considered newsworthy at the time. Likewise, the public didn’t know of his or most presidents’ extramarital affairs. The media simply didn’t focus on such things.

That changed over time, and the world likely knew too many details about former President Bill Clinton’s activities in the Oval Office. In the social media era, such rumors can circulate, even if they’re not true.

The flip side is that just as social media is quick to suggest a cover-up is underway, detractors will offer a counter-narrative. Failing that, there is always the “WhatAboutism” argument to fall back on. If Trump slips on the stairs of Air Force One, as soon as a video appears on X, ten more will follow, showing Biden looking worse, and possibly a few vintage ones of Gerald R. Ford slipping on Air Force One’s stairs will circulate for good measure.

And as for the leg brace, it may go viral, but it will only be believed by those critical of the sitting president. His supporters won’t see it, or at least won’t care. The divide is simply too great, but that’s what social media does best. It divides while keeping everyone engaged. And because there is now so much misinformation, it is hard to know what, if anything, on the platforms is the truth.

That’s what we all need to brace for!