‘Staged’: Unsubstantiated Theories Spread After Trump Assassination Attempt

One in five voters find it credible that the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was staged, with one in three likely Biden voters agreeing, a Morning Consult poll found. 

Was It Staged? Twelve percent of likely Trump voters also agreed that staging theories were credible. It’s not just an obscure social media trend; Democratic strategist Dmitri Mehlhorn, an adviser to billionaire LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman, apologized on Sunday for suggesting the shooting was staged. Some proponents of the theory cited Trump’s apparent slowness to get to cover, including his request, “Let me get my shoes.” 

Did the Secret Service Intentionally Allow It? The security failings surrounding the shooting have been widely reported, drawing scrutiny towards local police and the Secret Service. But some, including Elon Musk, have suggested that the slowness to stop the shooter was intentional. Some pointed to the vague identity of the shooter, apparently suggesting a broader conspiracy.

How the Media Covered It: Fact checks in mainstream outlets generally dismissed these theories as lacking evidence. Some, however, tied the theories to accusations of irresponsible partisan rhetoric; the Washington Free Beacon (Right bias), for instance, highlighted that Mehlhorn “has visited the Biden White House at least 10 times.”

Watch Out for Misinformation and Unfounded Speculation: As a PolitiFact (Lean Left bias) analysis stated, “Claims that violent incidents and shootings were ‘staged’ are a common trope among misinformers.” Check out our Misinformation Watch page for more.