A MAJOR spike in pizza orders near the Pentagon and other key US government sites has fuelled rumours over the condition of president Donald Trump.
Pizza orders near the Pentagon surged over the weekend, with the “Pentagon Pizza Index" showing an increase of nearly 800%.
The index theory is that notable increases in late-night pizza deliveries to Pentagon-area shops signal that officials are working overtime on urgent, possibly high-stakes developments.
The surge is often seen during high-level events of national or international importance, and it comes after the phrase "Trump is dead" has exploded on social media due to the US president not being seen in public for three days, leading to growing concerns over his health.
The index gained fame because spikes in pizza orders were observed just before several major events, including the invasion of Panama in 1989, the invasion of Grenada in 1983, the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and recently just before key strikes in Middle East conflicts and just before Donald Trump deployed the national guard to several US cities.
Trump’s absence follows recent photographs which showed the US president with what appears to be a bruising on his hand along with swollen legs, which led to further social media chatter about whether his health was declining.
The 79-year-old president reportedly doesn't have any scheduled events this weekend, which may explain why he has not appeared in public, and has also been posting on his own social media platform Truth Social, since he was last seen.
However, vice president JD Vance, in trying to quash the rumours of Trump’s death, has apparently only made it worse, insisting he is ready to take the top job in case of a “terrible tragedy” were to happen to the US president.
Where is US president Donald Trump?
There has been no confirmation that Trump is dead.
The speculation comes after the White House confirmed in July Trump had chronic venous insufficiency, a vein condition which causes leg swelling.
The condition causes increased pressure in veins and can lead to swelling as well as ulcers, but it is not thought to be life threatening.
Before the White House’s announcement, pictures shared on social media showed his swollen legs and sparked speculation over his state of health.
Following pictures which appeared to show the US president's hands bruised his physician, Sean Barbabella, reportedly said it was due to repeated handshakes.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also issued a statement regarding the bruising on the US president's hands, saying: “President Trump is a man of the people, and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history.
“His commitment is unwavering, and he proves that every single day.”
