#WhereisJoe trends: Trump’s MAGA fanatics spread ‘death’ & ‘White House coup’ rumours

WASHINGTON: Vicious rumours about Prez Biden’s “terminal illness” “imminent death” and a “White House coup” and racist dogwhistles surrounding Kamala Harris’ life and career flowed through the sewers of social media on Tuesday as MAGA maniacs went into full meltdown mode following an unexpectedly smooth transition in the Democratic Party.

With hashtags such as #whereisjoe and #dumbasarock, Trump supporters rained abuse on his opponents, going so far as as to claim Democratic backroom operatives had orchestrated a “palace coup” by blackmailing Biden into bowing out of the prez race.

Laura Loomer, one such supporter patronised and praised by Trump, claimed Biden is “terminally ill and unable to perform his duties” and “final preparations are being made for him, and “soon we will have President @KamalaHarris as the 47th President”. Conspiracy theorists also scrutinised Biden’s Sunday letter announcing the end of his candidacy. Several fixated on Biden’s autograph, which clearly bears the name “J.R. Biden” but also con tains an underline not seen in other signatures from the prez. Commentators also noted the lack of a White House seal or letterhead, even though it wasn’t a govt communication.

Such insights were apparently based on Biden not being seen in public for five days (he had been at his beach home recovering from Covid). But in a statement, Biden said he would address the nation from the Oval Office at 8 pm Wednesday, “on what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people”.Previously, MA GA fanatics have prematurely killed off ex-prez Jimmy Carter, who is 99 and in hospice care. A fake letter announcing his death made its way swiftly through MAGA circles on social media before it was debunked.

Toxic MAGA trolls also continued to attack Harris with fake narratives on X, including posting digitally altered photos showing sex predator Jeffery Epstein’s face super-imposed on the face of her husband Douglas Emhoff. Some of the rage is tacitly encouraged by Trump himself with his vitriolic and sexist attacks on Harris.

Trump’s running mate JD Vance has also taken the cue: “If Biden can’t run for prez, he can’t serve as prez.” In the MAGA narrative, Democratic operatives will invoke Article 25 to replace Biden with Harris in a “soft coup” to make her the 47th prez even before the elections. The meltdown is quite inexplicable considering most polls show Trump leading. Evidently, the prospect of Trump being challenged by a liberal woman, and a brown one at that, has brought out the worst in them.