President Donald Trump has reacted against online conspiracy theories claiming the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was orchestrated. He reportedly addressed the speculation during an extended interview with 60 Minutes.
Donald Trump responds to ‘staged’ theories
The incident happened Saturday night when suspected gunman Cole Tomas Allen opened fire at the Washington Hilton hotel. Donald Trump dropped to the floor and crawled out of the venue, surrounded by Secret Service agents. Authorities later confirmed that Allen had sent a manifesto to his family moments before the attack.
Within hours of the shooting, social media platforms saw a surge of posts alleging the WHCD shooting was fabricated. Claims circulating online suggested the shooting was designed to divert attention from Trump’s military campaign in Iran, his declining approval ratings, or his ongoing legal case over the ballroom. According to data from analytics firm TweetBinder, the word “staged” appeared in more than 300,000 posts on X (formerly Twitter) by midday Sunday.
In bonus footage from his 60 Minutes interview with correspondent Norah O’Donnell, Trump was asked about the theories spreading across both lines. The president stated he had not encountered the claims until O’Donnell raised them. “I think they’re more sick than they are con people,” Trump said, referring to those promoting the theories. “But there’s a lot of con in there too.”
Trump also spoke of the speed at which the speculation has come up, remarking, “I haven’t heard that last night didn’t happen… usually takes a little bit longer. Usually, they wait about two or three months to start saying that.”
O’Donnell referenced previous conspiracy theories linked to Trump. The latter broadened the discussion, claiming similar denials surround other such events. He stated some individuals believe Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel “didn’t happen.” The POTUS also added, “World War II didn’t happen and the Holocaust didn’t happen, and many things didn’t happen.”
Trump has frequently amplified unverified claims throughout his political career. For example, he continues to maintain that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
