It is worth noting that a few minutes following the news regarding the attempted assassination of the former president, Donald Trump, the word “staged” became trending on X in the USA.
It’s a word that has become synonymous with conspiracy theories on social media, often to call into question an attack or a shooting. But in the hours since the attack in Pennsylvania, US, it has crept into the mainstream online conversation, and posts full of unsubstantiated speculation, hate and swearing have racked up millions of views on X, as the BBC.
Assassination attempts on US presidents have sparked conspiracy theories in the past, most famously the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963. This was the first to be watched in real time, “so it’s no surprise that the unfounded rumors started,” he notes. the publication continues: “But what stood out is how this frenzy took over all sides of the political spectrum.”
Trump assassination attempt: What are the 4+1 conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories focused on alleged security flaws, with many users justifiably wondering how this might happen.
How did the perpetrator get to the roof? Why weren’t they stopped? Minute by minute, a wave of mistrust, speculation and misinformation was born.
“It looks very staged,” read a post on X that has garnered a million views. “No one in the crowd is running or panicking. No one in the crowd heard a real gun. I don’t trust it. I don’t trust him”.
The profile states that it is based on the south west coast of Ireland. It has since been tagged with a note on X clarifying that the shooting was real. As more videos and testimonies were posted both inside and outside the gathering, the panic and fear of those there became abundantly clear.
The conspiracies were exacerbated by the extraordinary images released following the initial videos. Specifically, a photograph taken by Associated Press Washington D.C. chief photographer Evan Vucci, which shows the Trump with a raised fist, blood on his face and ear, with the US flag in the background.
A shooter is dead and a rally attendee was killed at a Donald Trump event in Pennsylvania, the Butler County district attorney tells AP.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 13, 2024
A US-based YouTube account said that the photo was just “too perfect” and he wondered how they got “the flag perfectly placed and everything”. The post on X reached almost a million views – but was later deleted by the person who shared it. It is important to be corrected if you make a mistake, they said in a separate post on the account.
Others have pointed out that, as the shots rang out, Trump raised his hand on stage. They used this to imply that the event was staged, while there is no evidence to indicate such a thing.
«Staged to garner sympathy? You can’t trust these people for anything and, no, I’m not going to pray for him,” wrote another US-based commenter.
There were many users of the website Truth Social who posted memes implying that President Biden or Hillary Clinton were behind the Butler attack and suggesting that there may have been multiple gunmen.
Many of the most viral posts, including this one, came from left-wing users who regularly share their anti-Trump views, the BBC notes. They already had hundreds of thousands of followers and therefore a significant impact on the world.
Trump assassination attempt: Twitter and the Simpsons
A handful of people on X (formerly Twitter) tried to lighten the heavy mood by referencing the incident to the all-time hit series “The Simpsons,” who are known for their outlandish predictions.
It all started when a user claimed that Trump’s assassination attempt was predicted by The Simpsons. Posting a series of screenshots from the episode in question, the user said: “The Simpsons has some explaining to do.”
Another added: “No way! The Simpsons predicted the shooting of Donald Trump.” Still others said they were simply shocked at the prospect.
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