Stephen Colbert Rebukes Audience Booing Trump Alive News

Over the Labor Day weekend in 2025, rumors circulated wildly across social media suggesting that President Donald Trump had died, sparked by his absence from public events for several days. Stephen Colbert addressed these rumors on The Late Show, informing his audience that Trump was "very much alive," but was met with boos and groans, prompting Colbert to jokingly scold his audience, emphasizing that "we like our presidents alive." The speculation intensified following unusual signs such as music playing in the White House Rose Garden and a cleared presidential schedule, but Trump denied all health concerns, calling the rumors "fake news" and asserting he had "never felt better." Colbert noted that searches for "Is Trump dead?" and similar phrases were among the top internet queries during the weekend. Despite the humorous tone Colbert took to manage his audience's reaction, the incident highlighted the deep political polarization and the challenges media figures face while navigating public sentiment toward the president. Trump responded to the situation by contrasting his brief absence with longer periods of inactivity by President Joe Biden, framing the rumors as a credibility issue for the media.