The online Republican ecosystem has gone into overdrive ahead of the first US presidential debate. Lawmakers and influencers are pushing wild conspiracy theories about President Joe Biden, and instead of proposing something new, they are recycling tired old accusations that have already been debunked, including claims that Biden will be “high” on drugs to improve performance.
“Now he is sleeping because they want him to be healthy and strong.” Former President Donald Trump said about Biden at a campaign rally During the weekend, without providing any evidence. “A little before the debate, they shoot him in the butt. They want to strengthen it. I would say he will come out very strong.”
This is an almost exact repetition of a statement Trump made at a rally in 2020, when he claimed that Biden would take “a big slap in the butt” to be able to debate “better than ever.” Trump also made a similar claim against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump has also asked Biden to take a drug test before the 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 around the debate.
Trump’s former White House physician Ronny Jackson posted on X: “DRUG TEST OFFERED BEFORE DEBATE! Will we see Sleepy Joe, who lives in the basement of the White House, or will we see Jacked-Up Joe, who made an appearance at the State of the Union???”
Jackson also spoke with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo, who helped fuel the baseless conspiracy. During the interview, Jackson went even further and speculated about why Biden and his team were holed up at Camp David before the debate:
“Biden will have been at Camp David for a full week before the debate, and … they’re probably experimenting with the right dosages, getting him drugs before the debate,” said Jackson, who is currently running for Congress in Texas with Trump’s endorsement.
Other politicians also intervened.
“I think the Trump team should not underestimate Joe Biden and his team’s ability to boost him with Mountain Dew or whatever,” Missouri Rep. Eric Burlison said in an interview on Fox Business, adding: “Look, State of the Union this year, he had a lot of energy for about an hour or an hour and a half.”
The right-wing pro-Trump influencer network on X and Telegram has picked up the conspiracy en masse, sharing clips of Trump’s comments and interviews with Jackson and Burlison.
On conspiracy channels on Telegram, influential figures are pushing even wilder accusations about the debate, including multiple different claims that Biden is about to withdraw from the debate for medical reasons and that either a new Democratic candidate will be chosen or the 25th Amendment It will be invoked and Vice President Kamala Harris will become president. There is no evidence to support any of these claims.