Shortly after gunshots were heard and administration officials left the event, social media suggested the shooting might not be as it seemed.
On Saturday evening, chaos erupted among journalists, media figures, and senior Trump administration members when gunshots sounded at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. No one was injured, and the suspect was apprehended, yet online skepticism quickly emerged.
Although there’s no evidence the WHCD attack was staged, conspiracies resonated with some who believe Trump fakes assassination attempts. Online users genuinely entertained the notion that this incident was another example.
On platforms such as X, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit, theories emerged that the shooting was staged. Innocuous clips were shared as evidence of a scripted event, or officials’ prior knowledge. One viral clip showed a Fox reporter describing how, at the dinner, press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s husband advised caution, followed by a dropped call, fueling conspiracy claims.
While live call disconnections aren’t rare in broadcasts, this instance fueled conspiracy theories: “HOLY SH*T,” read an X post of the video. “Fox News just cut one of their reporters off as they seemed to indicate the shooting was a pre-planned false flag.”
A pre-event interview with Leavitt where she mentioned “shots fired” during Trump’s speech, was also used to advance such suspicions. Meanwhile, some MAGA supporters reported lax security at the event, noting an “uneasy feeling” or sensing “something off.” The event, at a DC Hilton, was secured by the Secret Service for the ballroom and its immediate vicinity, not the whole hotel. The suspect, Cole Allen, was stopped by agents before reaching the ballroom. He had traveled from LA and was staying at the Hilton, with evidence suggesting he targeted officials. Social media accounts linked to Allen showed posts critical of Trump and reporters, per the BBC.
On Sunday, Trump humorously commented in a 60 Minutes interview about the shooter’s speed, likening it to an NFL tryout, which conspiracy theorists latched onto.
“Trump knew he was fast when he hired him for this role,” responded one account.
The conspiracies weren’t helped when Trump later used the attack to advocate for building a White House ballroom.
“This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House,” he wrote on Truth Social. “It cannot be built fast enough!”
Some previous Trump supporters have expressed doubts regarding his assassination attempts, such as the 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania, incident. Figures like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and podcaster Tim Dillon have expressed skepticism, with former US National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent calling for further investigation into the shooting. No evidence has supported these claims.
Right-wing conspiracies have also framed attacks on Democrats as staged. In 2018, following pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats like Barack Obama and the Clintons, some far-right voices blamed leftists, claiming it was a “false flag” to discredit Republicans before midterms. Alex Jones claimed as recently as last week that the Sandy Hook shooting was staged.