Was Lynette Hardaway's cause of death COVID? What we know, what we don't (2024)

Lynette Hardaway, better known as "Diamond" of the conservative political duo Diamond and Silk, has died, and social media has been flooded with rumors and speculation about the details.

On Monday evening, the duo's Twitter page confirmed that Hardaway had died but asked for privacy and did not give further information on the manner of death.

"The World just lost a True Angel and Warrior Patriot for Freedom, Love, and Humanity!" the page said in a tweet. "Please respect the privacy of Diamond's family! Memorial Ceremony TBA. Contributions towards Preserving Diamond's Legacy are only being accepted at the following link."

Hardaway and her sister, Rochelle "Silk" Richardson, first became known as Diamond and Silk among conservative circles during the 2016 presidential election. The duo, who said they were former President Donald Trump's "most loyal supporters," were seen at White House events and sometimes spoke at Trump's campaign rallies.

Some social media users have claimed that Hardaway, who was reportedly 51, died from COVID, but this has not been confirmed by her family or the group page. Many of these claims are made on the basis of a report from website publication Blavity, which now appears to be unavailable.

Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer highlighted this in a tweet.

"I'm seeing claims that Diamond of Diamond and Silk - a Covid-19 vaccine hater- died of Covid and was hospitalized for it in November," he wrote. "But the truth is her cause of death isn't clear yet, and the November claims that she had Covid came from a Blavity article that appears to have been deleted."

Trump took to Truth Social, his social media platform, to mourn Hardaway's death but did not mention a cause.

"Silk was with her all the way, and at her passing," Trump wrote. "There was no better TEAM anywhere, or at any time!"

He continued: "Diamond's death was totally unexpected, probably her big and precious HEART just plain gave out. Rest In Peace our Magnificent Diamond, you will be greatly missed!"

Some social media users, pushing the theory that Hardaway died from COVID, have suggested it would be ironic for an anti-vaxxer or COVID denier to die from the disease.

Pastor and activist Bishop Talbert Swan tweeted: "Lynette Hardaway, Aka 'Diamond from the MAGA Trump-supporting duo Diamond and Silk, died from contracting what she called 'a hoax' better known as COVID-19. The irony is palpable.

Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill tweeted: "Diamond - of the right-wing, Trump-loving duo Diamond and Silk - has died. In late November, she was hospitalized due to COVID-19. The duo was fired by Fox News a couple of years ago for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. You cannot script this stuff."

While the cause of death has not yet been confirmed, last year, Hardaway dismissed the idea that she was in a hospital with COVID, according to a Daily Beast report.

In December, she returned to her Fox show and said the idea that she had been hospitalized with COVID was "fake news."

Newsweek has contacted Diamond and Silk for comment.