“Biden has been replaced by a clone.” This week Donald Trump shared on Truth Social a conspiracy theory that Joe Biden had been executed in 2020 and replaced by clones or robots “with no soul or brain.” The crazy post sparked reactions among Trump supporters, who in turn spread alleged “evidence,” such as variations in Biden’s eye color and signature. The post, originated by a user with fewer than 1,000 followers, was republished by Trump without additional comment.
The statement comes amid growing attention to the health of former president Biden, who was recently diagnosed with severe, advanced metastatic prostate cancer. As the New York Post reports, some members of the Republican Party, including Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, are investigating the former president’s health and use of autopen (a device used to automatically reproduce handwritten signatures, capable of replicating a signature with great accuracy) to sign official documents. By spreading this conspiracy theory, Trump is stoking the fire of a potential scandal.
In the kind of flawed logic frequently associated with Trump, right after he pushed the absurd theory he went on to express solidarity with Biden, stating that he and Melania are saddened to learn of his diagnosis and wish him and his family a speedy recovery.
Trump has already promoted conspiracy theories on the Truth Social platform. According to an analysis by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the president has already shared unfounded theories about the 2020 election more than 500 times, including allegations of voter fraud and vote rigging.
The episode highlights an inconsistency in Trump’s behavior toward Biden: first he fuels a conspiracy theory about his alleged replacement by a clone, then expresses sympathy for his illness by addressing a real man, not a robot, essentially disclaiming his own allegations.
