Conspiracy theories revolve around the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

On Saturday evening, a room full of journalists, media figures and senior members of Donald Trump’s administration descended into chaos. Gunfire rang out during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. No one was hurt, and the suspect was taken into custody — but it didn’t take long for the story of suspicion to spread online.

There is no evidence that the attack on WHCD was staged — but the plots reflect an increasingly common belief even among some former Trump loyalists that the president is orchestrating assassination attempts. Many people online seem to strongly believe that this attack is just the latest iteration.

On the tenth, Topics, Blueskyand RedditSuggestions that the shooting was staged began spreading almost immediately. The potentially innocuous clips have been circulated as evidence that the shooting was scripted, or that officials knew about it in advance. One clip, viewed 5.7 million times, was shared by a liberal “political commentator,” a Fox News correspondent. Calls to the network He describes how press secretary Carolyn Leavitt’s husband leaned over to her during dinner and told her: “You have to be very safe.” The call cuts out just as you are about to clarify the conversation.

Losing connection to live callers sometimes happens during a TV broadcast, but here it became evidence of a conspiracy: “HOLY SH*T,” reads X’s post in the video. “Fox News cut off one of its reporters because he appeared to suggest the shooting was a false flag that was pre-planned.”

A pre-event interview with Levitt likewise He made the rounds After dinner. In the interview, she promised that there would be a “shootout” during Trump’s speech — a common phrase on any other day, but under the circumstances it was used to raise suspicions, as if she had foreknowledge.

At the same time, some MAGA-aligned attendees began posting on X that the event had lax security, a description Having a “feeling of uneasiness” and That “something was felt.” The ceremony was held at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC The Washington Post I mentioned The Secret Service was tasked with securing the hall where the dinner was taking place, as well as its immediate surroundings, not the entire hotel, which was said to have been open to other guests. The suspected gunman was Cole Allen Stopped by agents Before he reaches the hall. authorities He said Allen had traveled from Los Angeles and was staying at the Hilton Hotel where the event was held, and that there was “some writing” indicating that Allen was targeting officials. Social media accounts including X and Bluesky profiles He is believed to be related to Allen It contained posts critical of Trump and reporters who attended the global health conference, according to the BBC.

On Sunday, Trump sat down for an interview 60 minutes To discuss the attack. He took turns telling jokes and insulting the reporter, but… One comment was clipped and circulated to X.

“(The shooter’s) speed was kind of amazing, in fact, it was like a blur,” Trump said. Trump continued: “I think the NFL should sign him. He was fast.” It was a joke, but some commentators took advantage of it.

“Trump knew he was quick when he picked him for this role,” one account responded.

It did not help quell the conspiracies that Trump used the attempted attack shortly after the incident An excuse to build his own dance hall In the White House.

“This event would never have happened with the top-secret military ballroom currently under construction at the White House,” he wrote in a subsequent Truth Social post. “It can’t be built fast enough!”

Previously, some former Trump supporters had done so Express doubts on Assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania in 2024 On the president. Critics such as Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and podcaster Tim Dillon have raised doubts, and former US National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent has claimed that the shooting was not fully investigated. No evidence of a planned attack was uncovered there either.

Right-wing conspiracy theorists have also claimed that the violence against Democratic politicians and others was staged. In 2018, after pipe bombs were sent to prominent Democrats, including Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, some far-right influencers and other more mainstream critics. She described it as a “false flag” operation. By leftists to make Republicans look bad before the midterm elections. Recently last week Alex Jones once again claimed that Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting It was organized.