Donald Trump ‘replacement theory’ sparked by man in background of interview

If you've seen the footage of Donald Trump talking to reporters in wake of the World Cup final, you might have been left wondering if you were seeing double.

The good news is, you don't need to dash to an optician, as there really was a bloke who bore an uncanny resemblance to the US president lurking in the background.

The video has been doing the rounds on social media, which reignited chatter surrounding the long running conspiracy theory that the commander-in-chief relies upon a body double.

Online sleuths reckon they have now determined the identity of Trump's mystery doppelgänger, but some people still aren't convinced.

The 80-year-old is finally freed from his hosting duties now that the 2026 World Cup has come to an end, and he reckons his nation have done a superb job at entertaining football fans.

While discussing the success of the tournament with the media following Spain's win over Argentina on Sunday (19 July), Trump used a strange selection of words to sum up the experience.

"I thought it was incredible," he said. "It was four-times greater than any FIFA ever held. It's probably about five times, actually, they're telling me today."

Comedian Jon Stewart couldn't resist poking fun at the president during Monday's episode of The Daily Show and laughed along with viewers as they looked at a clip of his 'insightful post-game analysis'.

The 63-year-old TV star then comically asked: "What's a FIFA? How do you hold a FIFA, how can our FIFA be 'four-times greater' than any other FIFA?"

Trump's attendance at the World Cup final gave Stewart plenty of material for the latest edition of The Daily Show, as he also mocked him for trying to muscle his way in among Spanish stars as they celebrated their win.

In the footage of the avid golfer using the unusual terminology to describe hosting the football tournament, Stewart spotted something strange unfolding in the background.

While Trump was talking with reporters shortly after he hopped off of Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, a mystery man was mooching around behind him.

His stance, strides and even strands of hair looked suspiciously similar to the president when he had his back to the camera, and he still looked like a dead ringer for Trump when he eventually turned around.

Commenting on the clip, Stewart said: "What's up with the guy behind Trump? Can we see that again? Who the f**k is this guy? Who in the world...Oh my god, is that a back up Trump?

"Wait a minute! Hold on a second...wait, what? Who? What? Is that a back-up Trump? Or, is that Trump?

"Wait - is the one we've been dealing with back-up Trump? Or is that Trump?"

Wait… is there a Trump body double? pic.twitter.com/rYbyBxHa2o

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) July 21, 2026

The funnyman wasn't the only one left asking these questions, as a host of social media users firmly agreed that the bloke looked like a carbon copy of Trump.

One person said in a post on X: "Oh no! There's two of them."

Another wrote: "Trump needs a body double so one version can hog the World Cup spotlight while the other practices golf swings and 'You're fired' faces for the cameras. Man's ego requires backup singers now."

And a third joked: "If the Donald double is married to the Melania double..."

Others provided an explanation for why the fella and Trump look like two peas in a pod - as they pointed out that it was his father-in-law, Viktor Knavs.

One person wrote: "OK, OK, funny stuff. But the 'body double' is Melania's father. DJT's father-in-law is often invited to fun stuff."

A second then said: "That’s Mr Knavs, his father-in-law."

According to The Palm Beach Post, Knavs is just two years older than his daughter's hubby and he's a successful Slovenian businessman.

He's joined Trump and Melania at a string of high-profile events over the years, although a lot of people don't recognise his face.