Donald Trump has been called “Teflon Don” because scandals and controversies never seem to stick to him the way they would to other politicians. Even when confronted with serious accusations, he follows the advice of his old mentor Roy Cohn: never admit guilt, always deny, and always declare victory. During his presidency, The Washington Post counted over 30,000 false or misleading claims from Trump, yet he never apologized for any of them. Because of this, rumors about him—whether serious or strange—have lingered for years, often shaping public opinion even when there’s no hard proof. His supporters usually take his word as truth, while his critics are quick to believe almost any story that paints him negatively. This divide has allowed a number of rumors about Trump to survive, no matter how many times he tries to dismiss them.
One of the most damaging rumors involves his long friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier accused of sex trafficking. Despite Trump’s insistence that he had nothing to do with Epstein’s crimes, photographs, videos, and even party footage show them spending time together over the years. Trump was also listed on Epstein’s flight logs, and there are recordings of Epstein calling Trump one of his closest friends. A strange birthday card Trump gave Epstein, featuring a crude drawing, only added to the speculation. Because of this steady trickle of evidence, many Americans continue to believe Trump may have been more involved with Epstein than he admits.
Another persistent rumor is that Trump doesn’t like to read, or perhaps can’t read well at all. Clips have circulated of him struggling with books, refusing to read documents during legal depositions, and improvising instead of following scripts. Former staffers have claimed he preferred video or oral briefings over written reports, and even admitted that many of his tweets were dictated rather than typed by him. While this idea might sound absurd for a president, the number of awkward moments captured on camera has kept the rumor alive.
Then there are the stories about Trump’s marriage to Melania. She has often been absent from his side, skipped long stretches of campaign events, and kept an unusually low profile compared to other first ladies. Videos of her swatting away Trump’s hand or turning away from his kisses have fueled talk that she despises him. Critics and even some of his former allies, like Anthony Scaramucci, have suggested that Melania deeply resents her husband. With Trump’s conviction on felony counts related to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, the rumors about their strained marriage have only grown stronger.
Trump has also faced an extraordinary number of allegations from women accusing him of sexual misconduct. The infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, in which he bragged about grabbing women without their consent, reinforced those accusations in the public mind. More than a dozen women have come forward over the years with stories of harassment or assault. In 2023, a jury found him liable for sexually assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll and ordered him to pay millions in damages. Trump continues to deny it all, but the accusations form a constant backdrop to his political career.
Some rumors go further, suggesting that Trump is vulnerable to blackmail from foreign governments. The “Steele Dossier,” though unverified in many parts, claimed Russia collected compromising material on Trump, including the infamous but unproven “pee tape.” The story goes that Russia had surveillance footage of Trump engaging in humiliating sexual behavior in a Moscow hotel once used by Barack Obama. While this has never been proven, the rumor remains alive, partly because of Trump’s odd behavior toward Russia and Vladimir Putin.
On a stranger note, Trump has been accused of using fake names like “John Miller” and “John Barron” to pose as his own spokesman when talking to reporters. Recordings and sworn testimony suggest he admitted to using these identities occasionally, often to brag about himself or exaggerate his wealth. This ties into another rumor—that Trump has long lied about how rich he really is. Forbes reporters later revealed that Trump wasn’t nearly as wealthy as he claimed when he first landed on their “richest Americans” list. In fact, he may have exaggerated his assets by billions. Courts have since ruled that Trump repeatedly inflated his wealth to secure loans and insurance benefits.
There’s even a rumor that Trump never really wanted to be president in the first place. Some close observers of his 2016 campaign claim that he expected to lose and only ran to build his brand and secure future business deals. On election night, reports suggest he looked shocked and horrified when he realized he had actually won. His wife Melania was allegedly in tears, not of joy but of disbelief. While Trump himself denies this, many still believe that his first campaign began as a publicity stunt that went much further than he ever expected.
Finally, questions about Trump’s health continue to swirl. At 79, he is the oldest person ever inaugurated, and any pause in his public appearances sparks speculation. Bruises, swelling, and his diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency have fueled theories about strokes or other hidden illnesses. At one point in 2025, social media rumors even went so far as to claim he had died, forcing Trump to make a statement denying his own death. He has tried to turn these rumors back on his opponents, joking that no one asked similar questions when Joe Biden disappeared from the public eye for stretches of time.
Despite all his denials, these stories—ranging from the credible to the outlandish—follow Trump wherever he goes. They reflect the strange mix of scandal, spectacle, and controversy that has defined his public life for decades. Even when disproven, the rumors rarely disappear entirely. Instead, they linger, shaping how people see him, and reminding everyone of the unusual way Trump operates in the world of politics.
