Half-Mast Flags Spark ‘Trump is Dead’ Rumors
So, let’s talk about this whole situation that’s been blowing up online. People all over social media started claiming that President Donald Trump had died after U.S. flags at the White House were spotted flying at half-mast. On top of that, the official White House website briefly displayed a message saying it would go “LIVE shortly,” which only poured fuel on the fire. Combine that with Trump skipping a cabinet meeting and not being seen publicly for several days, and suddenly hashtags like “It Happened” and “Trump is Dead” were trending everywhere.
But here’s the truth: the flags weren’t lowered because of anything happening to Trump at all. In fact, the order to fly flags at half-staff came directly from the President himself. The reason was a tragic event in Minneapolis — a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and Church. Two children were killed and seventeen others were injured during a back-to-school service, when a 23-year-old gunman, Robin Westman, opened fire. He later took his own life at the scene. Out of respect for the victims and their families, Trump ordered all U.S. flags at federal buildings and military installations to remain at half-mast until sunset on August 31.
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Now, to understand why this was misinterpreted, it helps to remember what flying a flag at half-mast means. Traditionally, it’s a gesture of national mourning or tribute. It doesn’t always follow the death of a president; it can also honor victims of tragedies or significant figures. The tradition comes from naval customs and symbolically leaves room above the lowered flag for what’s sometimes called the “invisible flag of death.” So, while people on social media connected the dots the wrong way, the gesture was actually about honoring the Minneapolis victims.
Things escalated even further because Vice President JD Vance gave an interview where he said he would step in as President in the event of a “terrible tragedy.” Although he immediately emphasized that Trump was healthy and doing fine, those two words — “terrible tragedy” — were enough to send conspiracy theories spinning online.
The combination of all these factors — missing appearances by Trump, the half-mast flags, the White House’s cryptic “LIVE shortly” message, and Vance’s remark — created the perfect storm for rumors. And in today’s climate, it doesn’t take much for speculation to become a trending topic.
So, to set the record straight: Trump is alive, the flags were lowered as a mark of respect for the children killed in Minneapolis, and the real story here is the heartbreaking tragedy that community is now facing, not the online frenzy about the President’s health.
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