After President Donald Trump appeared to delete an AI-generated video on Truth Social of him promoting new ‘MedBed’ hospitals, the internet has been awash with concern over the president’s seeming advocacy of what is recognized as a conspiracy theory.
The video, shared on the social media platform on Saturday night, was recorded by a number of X users and shared to the platform after it disappeared from the president’s Truth Social feed.
The ‘MedBed’ conspiracy theory is gaining significant momentum among supporters, who firmly believe a technology that can cure any ill and slow the aging process exists—which is used in these ‘MedBeds’—and is being kept secret among the elite.
However, the described technology is widely recognized as purely conspiracy, not grounded in truth, a belief that emerged from a growing distrust in traditional medicine.
In the video reportedly shared on Truth Social from Trump’s account, an AI-generated Lara Trump says on a fake Fox News broadcast that the president has “announced a historic new healthcare system, the launch of America’s first ‘MedBed’ hospitals and a national ‘MedBed card’ for every citizen.”
Footage shows AI-generated hospital beds with various kinds of technology and scanners, and then Trump says, while sat in what appears to be a fake installation of the Oval Office, that “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,” the fake Trump added. “This is the beginning of a new era in American health care.”
The video then shifts back to Lara, who says that in the first phase, the cards will only be released to a “limited” number of citizens, with registration details to be announced “soon.”
The clip has since gone viral on X after a number of users posted a recorded version of the video before it was removed from Truth Social. It appeared to accumulate more than 3,000 likes on Truth Social before it was deleted.
Those that re-shared the clip on X were highly concerned about what the post meant, while some deemed it “disgusting.”
The video even prompted doctors to speak out. Dr Jonathan Reiner, a professor of medicine and surgery, who has more than 80,000 followers on the platform said: “This is not an actual thing. Medbeds is a conspiracy theory alleging that we have magic beds that can cure any disease. It’s obviously not true.”
The ‘MedBed’ conspiracy theory is a belief among some far-right communities that there is a particular type of medical technology that both heals any illness and slows down the aging process in people and animals. Some think it can even regrow missing limbs.
The idea is based on a concept in alternative medicine that stipulates that illness is due to ‘bad frequencies’ in the body, and that putting ‘good frequencies’ back into the body through this technology results in healing, according to an article by McGill University’s Office for Science and Society.
References to the technology are usually portrayed as hospital beds with MRI-like scanners and neon lights, and the technology is said to use “life force energy,” or biophotons, as well as ions, light waves, frequencies, and all kinds of other things.
It is thought by believers that the beds were developed by the military, and in some cases by alien technology, and are already in use by the world’s richest and most powerful families.
Some proponents of the theory also believed that Trump would unveil the devices and make them free for all Americans if he won another term in the White House after his first term as president.
The ‘MedBed’ conspiracy seems to have been born out of a deep distrust of traditional medicine, which has been amplified on social media and the internet. It also gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, when believers argued the beds and technology could fight the virus better than the vaccine or other forms of treatment.
The conspiracy has also gained momentum among QAnon believers. There is an unfounded theory that asserts Trump is waging a secret war against elite, Satan-worshipping pedophiles within Hollywood, the Democratic Party and the so-called “deep state” in government.
Some companies have started marketing the technology, such as the Tesla Wellness Hotel and MedBed Center, which is about 45 minutes north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and offers nightly rentals in rooms that come equipped with these ‘MedBeds’ or “BioHealers.”
The center, which has no connection to Elon Musk’s car company, has prices starting at $599 and range all the way to $11,000 for the largest model, with slightly cheaper versions available for pets and children.
It even sells bottled water that it claims has been imbued with the “life force energy,” charging $150 for 24-packs of 16.9 ounce bottles of Tennessee spring water.
Ed Krassenstein, an X user with more than 1 million followers on the platform, wrote in a post: “This is absolutely disgusting. President Trump just shared a fake video claiming he has announced “a historic new healthcare system” that will restore sick Americans to full health. This comes as he prepares to let the enhanced ACA subsidies expire and is even willing to force a government shutdown to achieve it. The result would be millions of Americans facing crushing premium hikes and the real possibility of losing their coverage. MedBeds are nothing more than a right-wing conspiracy theory. It looks like he is trying to trick his supporters into believing they do not need the ACA because he will give them something better.”
Aaron Rupar, an X user with more than 1 million followers on the platform, wrote in a post: “Trump deleted his bizarre post featuring an AI video of him endorsing “medbeds,” which raises the question of whether he’s so confused that he thought it was a real video of him talking.”
Alex Kaplan, an X user with more than 27,000 followers on the platform and a researcher for Media Matters, a progressive media watchdog, wrote in a post: “Trump tonight appears to have pushed the false “medbed” conspiracy theory, which has spread in the far-right internet over the years.”
This article contains reporting from the Associated Press.