US President Donald Trump announced a "new era in American healthcare" in a video he posted to his account. At the heart of the announcement are so-called MedBeds – medical beds that are said to work wonders.

The video, which has since been deleted, resembles a segment from Fox News' My View program, hosted by the president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. She explains that "in this first phase, only a limited number of MedBed cards will be released," adding that registration details would be announced "very soon."

The alleged statement by the US President was published on September 29 (September 28 in the US, 22:19 EST) on his Truth Social platform. Reactions on social media are divided—many are wondering why Trump is promoting MedBeds.

MedBeds are part of a conspiracy myth that claims there are "magical" medical beds that can cure any disease, reverse aging, and even regrow lost limbs.

The myth originates primarily from far-right online communities and is also spread by QAnon followers.

Following Trump's video, many users have shared alleged images and healing effects, as well as conspiracy theories surrounding MedBeds.

DW Fact check took a closer look at the video of Donald Trump and also the MedBed myth.

Reforms in the healthcare system?

Claim: In the video, Trump is allegedly seen saying, "Every American will soon receive their own MedBed card. With it, you'll have guaranteed access to our new hospitals, led by the top doctors in the nation, equipped with the most advanced technology in the world. These facilities are safe, modern and designed to restore every citizen to full health and strength. This is the beginning of a new era in American healthcare."

Although the video was deleted, it was saved by users and continues to circulate on other social media platforms such as X. 

DW Fact check: Fake
The video was created using artificial intelligence (AI). Upon closer inspection, there are indications of this (see image below).

In the first few seconds of the video, you can see that the mouth movements of the news anchor, Lara Trump, do not match the words she is saying.

Then you see a hospital room equipped with so-called MedBeds. They also look very artificial. Experts also confirm that these MedBeds do not exist, so the images shown cannot be real.

After that, you see Trump himself sitting in the Oval Office in the video, explaining that soon every American would receive a MedBed card.

Here, too, some things do not match the current decor of Trump's office.

Particularly striking is the size of the equestrian statue, a miniature copy of Clark Mills' equestrian statue, which appears behind Trump in the video.

Its proportions do not appear to match the original footage of the Oval Office.

In addition, at 26 seconds, the fingers on the doctor's right hand are partially fused together—a typical AI error.

The folds of the right sleeve also don't fit —the arm would then be as thin as a broomstick. A second later in the video, the left sleeve of another person is oversized, puffed up, and crumpled.

Reactions in US media

The video generated a debate among US journalists who also highlighted the video's inaccuracies.

For instance, CNN news anchor Jake Tapper, who has 2.8 million followers on X, stated clearly: "None of this report is real."

And Ed Krassenstein, who has one million followers on X, implied that Trump's video was released at a time when the US government was preparing to phase out subsidies that make health insurance more affordable for people with low to moderate incomes (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act PPACA).

Krassenstein explained that "it looks like he (Trump) is trying to trick his supporters into believing they do not need the ACA because he will give them something better."

MedBeds as a cure-all?

Claim: According to an X-post by user "Mr.Pool," who has over 20,000 followers, a confidential pharmaceutical memo admits "MedBeds could erase chronic disease within a year." He adds, "governments signed off to bury the cure — fearing 'economic collapse' if sickness ended."

An attached document labeled "Confidential" is said to prove the secret agreement between the US government and the pharmaceutical industry.

DW Fact check: Fake

The attached document (image) is full of errors and has been classified as a poor forgery in comments by social media users.

Two inconsistencies immediately catch the eye. The document is said to date from March 3, 1887, when there was no American healthcare system.

And it is said to have been signed by a health minister named DE Berryhill, who also never existed.

The claim that MedBeds can eradicate chronic diseases is also not scientifically proven.

"Medbeds don’t even rise to the level of pseudomedicine," Jonathan Jarry, McGill University's Office for Science and Society in Montreal, told DW. "They are a fantasy, pure and simple, one of the few optimistic conspiracy theories I have ever seen."

He explains the myth surrounding so-called medical beds as the desperation of people suffering from incurable and chronic diseases.

"While modern medicine has made significant improvements in the last decades, not every illness has an effective treatment," he says. "People with degenerative diseases or chronic conditions need better answers, and a futuristic cure-all that’s just around the corner has proven seductive."

In the past, Trump has also caused confusion and spread so-called "fake news" with AI-generated content, as DW Fact check wrote in July in this article. 

Daniel Ebertz contributed to this report.

This article was translated from German.

Edited by: Rachel Baig