Rumors about President Joe Biden's supposed death are spreading across social media like wildfire less than a day after announcing to drop out of the US presidential race.
Widespread talks of the president's death started after several posts claimed that the recent flight restrictions near Biden's residence indicate that the president is either dying or already dead.
BREAKING:
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) July 22, 2024
There is an FAA flight restriction that just went up in Wilmington, Delaware where @JoeBiden lives. The flight restriction is for “VIP” movement. This coincides with presidential movement.
Joe Biden’s health is declining rapidly, and as I reported today, he is now in… https://t.co/dCPoQqCI4H pic.twitter.com/tC1UzsnMHA
Other posts even claimed that all flags at the Washington, D.C. are only raised at half mast, a tradition often used to honor the death of a notable person.
Many of these claims were circulated by supporters of former President Donald Trump, who is also running again for the presidency in the upcoming elections.
Biden's COVID-19 Illness Further Ignite Online Rumors
Most claims center around Biden's departure from the presidential race a few days after the disclosure that he had contracted COVID-19, theorizing that the 81-year-old has finally succumbed to the illness.
Notorious conspiracy theorist Alex Jones earlier echoed the same rumors with one of his videos reaching over 4.5 million views on X (formerly Twitter).
Is Joe Biden Dead? pic.twitter.com/cpnnI6j0Yw
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) July 22, 2024
As of writing, Biden is still alive and currently recovering from COVID-19 as evidenced by his recent phone call to his supporters and Vice President Kamala Harris, who he endorsed to replace him for the November election polls.
Online Conspiracy Theories Surge Ahead of 2024 Elections
While talks about the president's health have been nothing new, conspiracy theories around Biden have surged following his first debate against Trump.
Many of the rumors circulated online rehash Trump's accusations against Biden and the Democratic Party.
The past few weeks have also seen the rise of AI-generated disinformation posts online, particularly on X, Facebook, and TikTok.
The number of conspiracy theories only increased further following the failed assassination attempt on Trump during the Republican Party's campaign rally as both political sides threw accusations at each other.
Experts have long warned that similar trends could be seen more as the 2024 US Elections near.
