Joe Biden’s continued absence after he announced he was withdrawing from the presidential race has led to a flurry of memes and rumors that he is in hospice.
The 81-year-old has not been seen in six days, including since he withdrew from his re-election campaign. Aides said he had tested positive for COVID.
There have already been concerns about his health, with wild suggestions that Biden is seriously ill or even dead. The president’s health is a matter of national security, so any illness or death would be announced quickly to inform Americans of who is taking over.
But the current lack of information about his whereabouts and current physical condition has led to conspiracy theorists flooding X with memes about his disappearance.
Images of Biden have been plastered on milk cartons as the “missing presidential candidate” and others have compared him to the puzzle series “Where’s Wally?”
The 81-year-old has not been seen in six days, including since he withdrew from his re-election campaign, largely after testing positive for Covid-19.
The information vacuum surrounding his whereabouts and current physical condition has led to conspiracy theorists flooding X with memes about his disappearance.
The commander in chief called campaign staff from his COVID isolation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Monday.
In a hoarse voice, he told the crowd gathered around his Vice President, Kamala Harris: “I’m watching you, boy.”
He vowed to remain involved in the re-election fight and said he would continue to support Harris over the loudspeakers on the campaign trail.
However, the new, presumptive Democratic candidate appears to be fanning the flames surrounding Biden’s health during the phone call.
Harris said, “Joe, I know you’re still on the rec…on the call,” leading GOP activist Marjorie Taylor Greene to wonder whether Harris had betrayed the race.
Greene was referring to the fact that Harris clearly started to say the word “record” before correcting herself and saying “call” to Biden.
“Did Kamala spill the beans? Was it a recording? That’s what she started saying,” Greene said Monday.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk called it a “very strange slip of the tongue,” which also caught the attention of Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert.
Concerns have already been raised about his health, with wild suggestions that Biden is seriously ill based on the manner in which he announced his departure
Images of Biden have been plastered on milk cartons as the “missing presidential candidate” and others have compared him to the puzzle series “Where’s Wally?”
The Colorado representative, who has been the most vocal about Biden’s absence, asked, “Where’s Joe?” She then demanded “proof of life” by 5 p.m. Monday, fueling rumors that Biden had died.
Left-wing journalist Glenn Greenwald joined the fray, stressing that while he is not a conspiracy theorist, the way Biden ended his campaign and then disappeared from the airwaves was odd.
On Monday, the president’s physician sent a letter saying Biden had almost completely recovered from his symptoms.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote in his letter that his pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remained normal.
A phone call Joe Biden made to old campaign staff in Delaware ahead of Kamala Harris’ speech has some suspecting it was a fake after an awkward moment between Biden and Harris
It appears Biden’s health was ultimately the reason his campaign ended, after a disastrous TV debate with Donald Trump, 78, last month.
Concerns about Biden’s well-being grew on Sunday after his younger brother claimed that illness was a factor in his decision to step down.
Frank Biden told CBS: “I’m incredibly proud of my brother. Selfishly, I’m going to give him back to enjoy whatever time we have left.”
That choice of words led to discussions about a possible terminal illness.
But a source close to the Biden family threw hot water on Frank’s claims. “Frank Biden suffers from alcoholism and hasn’t spoken to his brother in weeks,” the source said. “What he said … is completely untrue.”
A leading Parkinson’s disease specialist has visited the White House several times this year, though officials have insisted Biden is in good health.