Conspiracy Theories Take Center Stage After Donald Trump Got Shot at Rally: 'Staged'

The recent shooting at a Donald Trump rally on Saturday, in Pennsylvania, has ignited a torrent of conspiracy theories. Social media quickly became a fertile ground for misinformation and wild speculation. Minutes after the shooting, platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s Instagram and Threads saw an explosion of unfounded rumors. The word ‘staged’ became one of the top trending topics on X, with over 228,000 posts using the term. These posts accumulated millions of views, capitalizing on the lack of immediate details and the platforms’ relaxed moderation policies for major political events.

As per NBC News, one of the most pervasive theories was the misidentification of the shooter. Netizens falsely claimed that a ‘prominent Antifa activist,’ Mark Violets, was responsible for the shooting. These posts included a photo of a man in sunglasses and a black hat, alleging he had posted a video on YouTube before the attack, claiming ‘justice was coming.’ 

The person in the picture was, in reality, Marco Violi, an Italian YouTuber who vlogs about soccer.  In Trump's all-caps style, Violi asserted, “I STRONGLY DENY BEING INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION. I WAS AWAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (2 AM IN ITALY TO BE PRECISE) FROM THE MANY NOTIFICATIONS I RECEIVED ON INSTAGRAM AND X. I’M IN ITALY, I’M IN ROME AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED."

Known conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones also seized the moment. Jones live-streamed to hundreds of thousands of viewers on X, accusing ‘the deep state’ of the shooting. Other accounts known for spreading QAnon content emphasized collusion between high-profile Democrats, Republicans, and the CIA.

The shooter was eventually identified by law enforcement as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks opened fire from a rooftop near the rally site before being shot in the head by Secret Service agents. Explosive materials were found in his car and home, but his motives remain unclear, especially since he was a registered Republican. The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of domestic terrorism, though they believe Crooks acted alone.

As per The Hill, Trump took to social media and recounted his first-hand experience. “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, and shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Speaker Mike Johnson also shared his disappointment and wrote, “The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service Director, Kimberly Cheatle, and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP.” President Joe Biden also addressed the nation from the Oval Office, urging Americans to 'unite' and settle political differences 'peacefully' at the ballot box in November.