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Harry Fletcher
Nov 02, 2022
Donald Trump puts Halloween sweets on head of child dressed as minion …
White House
Donald Trump is definitely not dead, despite what Twitter users might have us believe.
A hoax about the former president having died spread quickly on the social media platform earlier this week. The hashtag #TrumpIsDead became one of the biggest trends on the site following false claims made on Tuesday.
A screenshot of a fake CNN news story was shared online, with the doctored headline reading: "Donald Trump dead at 76.”
It’s the most recent Trump death hoax after false claims that he had died in 2016 following a "violent heart attack”.
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The recent rumour could have started after comedian Tim Heidecker suggested that Trump was "dying", after a report claimed that Trump was spreading a false conspiracy theory around the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi.
Heidecker tweeted: "Trump, i'm sad to say sounds like he's dying here. I think in fact that maybe he is and could possibly have a very grave disease of which he is dying from. we don't know but it's not good."
\u201cTrump, i'm sad to say sounds like he's dying here. I think in fact that maybe he is and could possibly have a very grave disease of which he is dying from. we don't know but it's not good.\u201d— Tim Heidecker: Sole Host of On Cinema (@Tim Heidecker: Sole Host of On Cinema) 1667321693
"Look folks there are 1 of 2 things that could be happening," Heidecker posted after user @drivebee responded by saying “I just heard from a friend that he died.”
Heidecker added: "Trump is dead and they are covering it up or he is badly dying at the moment. Which do you believe?"
\u201cLook folks there are 1 of 2 things that could be happening. trump is dead and they are covering it up or he is badly dying at the moment. Which do you believe?\u201d— Tim Heidecker: Sole Host of On Cinema (@Tim Heidecker: Sole Host of On Cinema) 1667330010
"Many are using #TrumpIsDead to spread the word," Heidecker tweeted later. "Many are sad by the news."
"Here's what we know: 1. Trump is dead (died badly) 2.@elonmusk has suppressed this news (or has he?) 3. Donald Trump Junior is now just plain Donald Trump," he added in another tweet. "Please like and share."
\u201cHere's what we know: \n1. Trump is dead (died badly) \n2. @elonmusk has suppressed this news (or has he?) \n3. Donald Trump Junior is now just plain Donald Trump \n\nplease like and share.\u201d— Tim Heidecker: Sole Host of On Cinema (@Tim Heidecker: Sole Host of On Cinema) 1667338024
People then began adding to the hoax, with filmmaker Jeremy Newberger jokingly writing: "My sources are telling me, in their humble opinion, that the MyPillow Guy has created a Trump stand in made from polyurethane foam and Sunkist soda #TrumpIsDead.”
"If only Twitter had some kind of policy about spreading disinformation, but I guess since Elon himself did it the other day, it's all fair game," @NYC_NH1 added.
It comes after Musk, the newly-crowned Twitter owner, shared a baseless conspiracy theory about Friday’s horrific attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband.
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