Shoot Trump: Conspiracyists call it 'staged drama'

A few months before the US presidential election, former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident occurred on Saturday, just days before Trump secured the Republican Party nomination for a third term.

A 20-year-old assailant shot at Trump from the roof of a nearby building, missing the former president's right ear by mere inches. Law enforcement is investigating the motive behind the attack. Within minutes, the term "staged" began trending on social media, with many users suggesting the assassination attempt was a fabricated drama.

The term "staged" has become a buzzword for extreme conspiracy theories in the US. It's frequently used to cast doubt on the authenticity of various incidents. According to the BBC, "staged" has become the most popular topic online over the last 24 hours, with numerous posts—many filled with rumors, hate speech, and abuse—using the word.

Conspiracy theories surrounding presidential assassination attempts are not new in the US. The assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963 also sparked numerous baseless rumors. The "staged" trend was not limited to political support groups but spread widely, with social media algorithms pushing it to more users' timelines.

Legitimate questions about security lapses fueled these conspiracy theories. Many wondered how the attacker accessed the roof and why he wasn't stopped. A widely shared post on X stated, "It's totally sorted," expressing disbelief over the calm crowd reaction and the lack of audible gunfire.

Despite these theories, photos and videos from the event quickly debunked them. An acclaimed photo by AP's Washington-based chief photographer Evan Vucci clearly showed Trump with bloodstains on his face and ear, with an American flag in the background. This evidence countered claims that the attack was a hoax.

A US-based YouTube channel initially questioned the authenticity of the attack but later retracted its statements, admitting the mistake. Another X user accused Trump of staging the incident for sympathy, reflecting the deep distrust among some left-wing users.

These conspiracy theories spread rapidly, largely propagated by anti-Trump accounts with substantial followings. However, the BBC confirmed that social media claims of the attack being staged were false.