In yet another twist to America’s already turbulent political landscape, U.S. President Donald Trump has fanned the flames of a conspiracy theory so outrageous it sounds like it was ripped from a dystopian screenplay. Trump recently reshared a post on Truth Social claiming that President Joe Biden was “executed in 2020” and replaced with a robotic clone.
The original post, from an obscure user, made fantastical assertions—that Biden is now a “soulless, mindless” replicant. While Trump didn’t directly endorse the claim with his own words, his decision to amplify it through his social media channel has lent it undue visibility. This isn’t a first for Trump. Throughout his political career, he has demonstrated an unparalleled capacity to inject wild conspiracy theories into mainstream discourse—many of them devoid of any factual grounding.
A Familiar Pattern of Misinformation
From questioning Barack Obama’s birthplace to falsely accusing the FBI of plotting to kill him, Trump’s record on truthfulness has been extensively documented. According to a report by The Washington Post, during his first term alone, Trump made over 30,000 false or misleading claims. A separate NYT analysis of his 2024 online activity found that at least 330 posts promoted baseless conspiracy theories, often naming individuals as part of secret plots against him or the American people.
This latest claim about Biden’s supposed replacement taps into a similar strategy—one that blurs fact and fiction to stir up controversy, energize his base, and dominate headlines.
Also read: “TACO-Gate”: How a Mock Acronym Got Under Donald Trump’s Skin
Timing, Health, and Speculation
The resurfacing of this bizarre theory coincides with President Biden’s public disclosure that he is battling prostate cancer, which has spread to his bones. The timing is no coincidence. Conspiracy theories thrive in ambiguity and exploit real-world concerns. Some Trump supporters have latched onto Biden’s health struggles as “proof” that the person currently in the Oval Office isn’t the same one elected in 2020.
A number of memes have gone viral among Trump’s followers, citing supposed differences in Biden’s facial features and earlobes as visual “evidence” of the clone. Others have suggested that Biden was given a “funeral cannon salute” at Arlington on Inauguration Day—a claim just as unfounded as it is sensational.
The Broader Impact: Disinformation and Distrust
What makes this incident more than just a viral absurdity is its contribution to a growing ecosystem of disinformation. Trump’s platforming of such a claim doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It fuels cynicism, corrodes public trust in institutions, and deepens political polarization.
Equally troubling is the fact that this theory gained traction among not only fringe voices but also semi-mainstream commentators. Far-right activist Laura Loomer added fuel by reposting the claim with glee. Meanwhile, critics responded with incredulity and satire. One user quipped, “If Biden was cloned, who did it and why? And how do we know Trump wasn’t replaced too?”
When Satire Becomes Strategy
The absurdity of the claim hasn’t stopped it from spreading. If anything, its sheer ridiculousness makes it more shareable. In today’s digital media environment, where algorithms reward engagement over accuracy, outlandish content is more likely to go viral.
There’s also an underlying strategy. By flooding the discourse with misinformation, even the most far-fetched theories become tools for distraction, deflection, and political theater. Whether or not Trump believes in these ideas is almost beside the point—their purpose is to provoke, not persuade.
Reality Check: Where Is Biden Today?
Joe Biden recently made his first public appearance since his cancer diagnosis, and there is no credible evidence to suggest anything other than that he is the elected President of the United States, facing a serious but treatable medical condition.
In the end, this episode serves as a stark reminder of how easy it is to distort reality in the age of social media. And how, in Trump’s America, the line between fiction and politics isn’t just blurry—it’s often willfully erased in a political theatre of the absurd.
