The The Republican online ecosystem has picked up pace ahead of the first US presidential debate. Lawmakers and influencers are stepping up conspiracy theories about President Joe Biden, and instead of coming up with anything new, they’re recycling tired old allegations that have already been debunked — including claims that Biden would be “addicted” to performance-enhancing drugs.
“He is sleeping now, because they want him to be healthy and strong,” former President Donald Trump talked about Biden at a campaign rally over the weekend, without providing any evidence. “So a little bit before debate time, he got shot in the butt. They want him to be stronger. I think he will become stronger.”
This is an almost exact repetition of a statement Trump made at a rally in 2020, when he declared Biden would get “a big kick in the butt” for debating “better than ever.” Trump also made similar claims against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump has also made similar claims. urged Biden to take a drug test before this event, which he also did in 2020.
Trump’s comments appear to be part of a broader effort by the Trump campaign to control the online narrative surrounding debate.
Former Trump White House physician Ronny Jackson posted on X: “BIDEN drug test BEFORE THE DEBATE! Will we see Sleepy Joe, who lives in the White House basement, or will we see Jacked-Up Joe, who appeared at State Of The Union???
Jackson also spoke with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo, who helped promote the baseless conspiracy. In the interview, Jackson went even further, speculating about why Biden and his team gathered at Camp David before the debate:
“Biden will be at Camp David the whole week before the debate, and… they may be testing the right dosage, giving medicine for him before the debate.” .
Other politicians also weighed in.
“I think Trump’s team shouldn’t underestimate Joe Biden and his team’s ability to fire him up on Mountain Dew or whatever,” Missouri representative Eric Burlison said in an interview interview on Fox Business, adding: “Look, this year’s State of the Union, he has a lot of energy for about an hour or an hour and a half.”
Networks of right-wing, pro-Trump influencers on X and Telegram have collected a series of conspiracies, sharing clips of Trump’s comments as well as interviews with Jackson and Burlison.
In conspiracy channels on Telegram, influential figures are making even wilder claims about the debate, including various claims that Biden is withdrawing from the debate for medical reasons and that a new Democratic nominee will be chosen or 25th Amendment will be convened and Vice President Kamala Harris will become president. There is no evidence to back up any of these claims.
