Trump Amplifies Rumor By Denying He Had ‘Series of Mini-Strokes’ in November
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President Donald Trump amplified a rumor that claimed a series of “mini-strokes” landed him in Walter Reed hospital in November 2019 by adamantly denying it on Twitter.
“It never ends!” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Now they are trying to say that your favorite President, me, went to Walter Reed Medical Center, having suffered a series of mini-strokes. Never happened to THIS candidate – FAKE NEWS.”
It never ends! Now they are trying to say that your favorite President, me, went to Walter Reed Medical Center, having suffered a series of mini-strokes. Never happened to THIS candidate – FAKE NEWS. Perhaps they are referring to another candidate from another Party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2020
Trump is likely referring to a rumor sparked by New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt’s upcoming book, which alleged that Vice President Mike Pence was put on standby to temporarily take over as president during his visit to the hospital. The text never actually mentioned “mini-strokes.”
The book led to speculation online that Trump suffered from a stroke, possibly due to false reports that Schmidt’s book claimed the president suffered from a “cerebral event.”
Schmit took to Twitter to confirm he does not say anything about strokes in his book:
Book says nothing about mini-strokes. https://t.co/XGfJEMsORu
— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) September 1, 2020
An earlier tweet from author and reporter Don Winslow, however, does claim Trump suffered from a “series” of “mini-strokes,” noting that three people have come to him with the story:
One of the benefits of making videos that garner 5 million+ views is that you hear from a lot of people, including whistleblowers inside Trump administration.
I’ve received three communications saying that during his term Trump has suffered a “series” of “mini-strokes.”
WATCH. pic.twitter.com/MHWQR1c2Yk
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) August 1, 2020
The rumor had not been reported by any major outlets at the time Trump tweeted about it.
Update — Sept. 1, 1:35 p.m. ET: The White House released a statement from Physician to the President Dr. Sean P. Conley, stating, “I can confirm that President Trump has not experienced nor been evaluated for a cerebrovascular accident (stroke), transient ischemic attack (mini stroke), or any acute cardiovascular emergencies, as have been incorrectly reported in the media.”
White House statement from Dr. Sean P. Conley, Physician to the President: pic.twitter.com/9ty3n4pM3x
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) September 1, 2020
New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman quickly took to Twitter to point out that the media did not report on Trump’s strokes, but that it was a rumor floated by Twitter users:
“The media” hasn’t reported this. Some Twitter users floated the idea of a stroke after a report by @nytmike about Pence being told that Trump might have to go under anesthesia. https://t.co/fTGRz9BRk1
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 1, 2020
