In a shocking and bizarre social media tirade on Saturday night, President Donald J. Trump claimed that former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was “executed in 2020” and replaced by a robotic clone, igniting a wave of confusion, outrage, and fascination across the political landscape. The statement was not part of an official address nor delivered during a press conference, but instead emerged in a reposted conspiracy theory on Trump’s Truth Social platform just after 10 p.m.
The post, originally made by a fringe user known for spreading fantastical and extreme theories, alleged that Biden had been eliminated and substituted with a machine-controlled replica, purportedly operated by a clandestine deep-state cabal. By reposting it with the caption “Finally. The truth is out. They can’t hide it forever,” Trump effectively gave his endorsement to what many are calling the most outlandish claim of his presidency to date.
The White House has declined to comment on the accusation, though aides close to President Biden privately dismissed the post as “pathetic fiction” and “dangerously irresponsible.” Still, the repost marked the latest escalation in Trump’s pattern of promoting fringe narratives, often with no basis in reality. Since returning to the White House for his second term, President Trump has intensified his online activity and continues to direct sustained attacks toward his predecessor, using every opportunity to paint Biden as mentally unfit, physically weak, and — now — literally inhuman.
Trump’s supporters were quick to amplify the theory, with several ultra-right commentators declaring that this new “evidence” should be the spark that triggers a full-scale congressional investigation into the origins of Biden’s alleged robotic replacement. Some of the posts referenced supposed “glitches” in Biden’s public appearances: moments where he froze mid-sentence, blinked in a seemingly unnatural pattern, or showed confusion during simple interactions.
These incidents, Trump’s allies argue, are proof that the current Biden is not the man elected in 2020, but rather a synthetic replica run by artificial intelligence and controlled by shadowy elite forces.
This latest theory builds on a growing mythology within Trump’s orbit, one that includes suggestions that Biden’s aides have been using an autopen to sign executive orders without the president’s knowledge or consent. Though the autopen — a device that reproduces a person’s signature — is commonly used in both Democratic and Republican administrations, Trump has sought to frame its use during Biden’s presidency as evidence that the real man is no longer in charge.
Ironically, Trump himself used the autopen during his first term, a fact he has never publicly acknowledged when making such allegations.
The president’s embrace of radical conspiracies is nothing new. During his first term, Trump was known for promoting disproven theories ranging from vaccine falsehoods to climate change denial to the infamous claim that Barack Obama was born in Kenya.
What’s changed in his second term is the intensity and scope of these claims. According to an independent review by media analysts, Trump has posted or reposted over 330 messages in just six months that revolve around grand secretive plots allegedly orchestrated against him or the American people. These include narratives involving the F.B.I., the Department of Justice, the intelligence community, foreign governments, and even fellow Republicans.
One of the more extreme claims shared by Trump in recent months suggested that federal agents had been plotting to assassinate him during a visit to Texas — a claim for which there is no evidence.
This new robotic Biden theory may be the most fantastical yet. While there is zero credible evidence that Joe Biden has been replaced by a clone — let alone a robotic one — the timing of Trump’s post was deliberate. Just one day earlier, Biden publicly confirmed he was undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
In a brief interaction with reporters outside the White House, Biden smiled and said he was “feeling good” and thanked the public for their support. Trump quickly jumped on the news, questioning why the diagnosis hadn’t been revealed earlier and speculating that it had been hidden to protect Democratic chances in the 2024 election. He then followed up with the repost about Biden’s alleged execution and robotic replacement.
Critics argue that such posts are not only deeply irresponsible, but also potentially dangerous. “When the President of the United States tells millions of people that his predecessor was killed and replaced by a machine, he’s inviting chaos,” said Dr. Lena Stafford, a political scientist at Georgetown University who studies political disinformation. “These claims are not rooted in fact. They destabilize public trust, fuel extremist worldviews, and ultimately erode democracy.”
Still, Trump’s core base has shown little interest in facts. For many, the theory fits comfortably into a worldview shaped by distrust of government institutions, skepticism toward mainstream media, and belief in a titanic struggle between good and evil. Conservative forums lit up within minutes of Trump’s post, with some users going so far as to claim they had “suspected for years” that Biden was not who he appeared to be.
“You can tell it’s not the same guy,” one poster wrote. “The walk, the face, even the voice is different. They slipped it in under our noses and thought we wouldn’t notice.”
The resurgence of such conspiracy narratives also comes at a time when the administration is under pressure from both domestic critics and international partners. With the global economy still recovering from inflationary shocks, and tensions in East Asia and the Middle East simmering, President Trump has increasingly relied on combative rhetoric to keep public attention focused on culture war grievances and political vendettas.
The Biden-robot theory, while absurd, serves as a new frontier in this strategy — turning political opposition not just into a matter of disagreement but into something existential, sinister, and inhuman.
Some observers suggest that Trump’s goal isn’t to convince the majority of Americans that Biden is literally a robot, but rather to plant enough doubt and paranoia that anything the former president says can be challenged. “It’s a tactic that plays on emotional logic, not factual reality,” said journalist Caron Miller, who tracks political conspiracy trends. “Once people are locked into a belief that the world is run by secret forces and puppets, they will reject any inconvenient truth.”
Legal experts have also voiced concerns about the constitutional implications of Trump promoting such ideas while serving as president. “There’s a clear line between free speech and incitement,” said former federal prosecutor Nathan Price. “And when a sitting president uses his office to spread disinformation about the health and legitimacy of his predecessors, the consequences for national unity and international credibility are grave.”
Meanwhile, President Biden has continued his recovery and maintained a light public schedule, with aides confirming that he plans to make a more comprehensive statement on his treatment in the coming days. He has not directly addressed Trump’s claims, and insiders say he likely won’t — choosing instead to focus on policy and health rather than respond to the inflammatory rumors.
As of Sunday morning, Trump’s post remained live on Truth Social, accumulating tens of thousands of shares and reactions. No clarification or correction has been issued by the platform. The president’s allies have not distanced themselves from the theory, and some — including several House Republicans — have cryptically stated that “more will come to light soon.”
Whether this story ends as just another chapter in Trump’s long history of stoking political fantasy or evolves into a larger movement within his base remains to be seen. But for now, the message is clear: in Trump’s America, even reality can be rewritten — with the right meme, the right moment, and the right machine.
