Fears over the state of Donald Trump's health have been resurrected after the US President confessed he is worried about not getting into heaven. This had led to speculation that "he knows he's dying".
Speaking on Tuesday to Fox News, Mr Trump said that he hopes negotiating peace between Ukraine and Russia will improve his odds of passing on to a good afterlife. "If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that's a pretty... I want to try to get to heaven if possible, I'm hearing that I'm not doing well," he said. "I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons." The comments came just one day after hosting multiple European leaders at the White House, including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt then reiterated these comments during her regular news briefing later that day, saying, "I think the president was serious. I think the president wants to get to heaven, as I hope we all do in this room as well."
The president's worries about the afterlife, who turned 79 in June, rapidly went viral as social media users theorised that the president's anxieties could be connected to his current health. One said on X: "Think of all the reasons an old man that spent his life nips deep in the Seven Deadly Sins would suddenly get desperate for absolution. And then ignore all of them except one: he knows he's dying".
"Trump is dying. He's never believed in heaven before," another said. A third commented: "The Trump regime is a bunch of crackpots and fools! Trump with his Dementia and congestive heart failure is dying before our eyes, he will not end of in Heaven!"
Concerns about Mr Trump's health have been raised in the past. In April, the president had his annual physical, and his White House physician, Captain Sean Barbabella, declared him in "excellent cognitive and physical health." His doctor stated, "President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function."
The medical exam took five hours, during which time Mr Trump underwent seveal blood tests, a cardiac examination and ultrasounds.
"President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State," Dr Barbabella concluded.
However, these comments did not do much to soothe concern. Mr Trump was seen with swollen ankles and makeup that appeared to be disguising bruising on his hand. Following widespread speculation, the White House announced last month that the president had been diagnosed with a chronic vein condition.
At the time, the Whitehouse official mouthpiece, Ms Leavitt, stated that there was "no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease" and that all test results were "within normal limits."
Among the 47th president's other hopes for the future is winning a Nobel Peace Prize, and he believes he is deserving of one for his efforts in helping to relieve tensions in multiple regions, including the 12-day war between Iran and Israel and the stand-off between India and Pakistan in May.
