US President Donald Trump is slated to make an unspecified “announcement” from the Oval Office on Tuesday night. The update follows an uncharacteristic week-long public silence from the Republican which fuelled elaborate rumours about his health. Many on social media had even broached the possibility that ‘Trump had died’ in late August. The White House later confirmed that the POTUS would be making his media ‘comeback’ with an “exciting announcement related to the Department of Defence”.
Announcement ‘focused on defence’
According to a POLITICO Playbook update, the impending announcement will be “focused on defense”. Trump also issued several vehement social media posts on Tuesday morning and dubbed Chicago the “murder capital” of the world. The POTUS has repeatedly claimed that the city was “probably next” after he sent the National Guard to Washington last month. A judge however ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration had violated federal law by using National Guard troops amid Southern California immigration enforcement operations and accompanying protests.
Meanwhile CBS News and AP both reported that Trump was expected to announce the relocation of US Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. The publications quoted US officials to add that the POTUS was likely to reverse a decision taken about the location by the previous Joe Biden administration. Space Command’s functions include conducting operations like enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches.
‘Death, health crisis’ rumours dog Trump
It was no immediately clear what the POTUS would be discussing today — with some speculating that he might be stepping down. Photos of Trump playing golf with his grandchildren or exiting the White House had only served to amplify the rumours about his declining health. Trump had pushed back against the allegations — but failed to convince most netizens that he had “never been better”.
“He’s announcing that he’s dead,” jibed one X user.
“Is he resigning?” wondered several others.
Others noted that there was a wide range of possibilities — from a health update to the deployment of federal troops in Chicago and anything in between.
“It could be that he is announcing that he has won another golf tournament or that he is calling a national emergency and directing the National Guard to dismantle all windmills. Perhaps, he is nominating Hannibal Lecter to be the new Director of the CDC,” lamented one X user.