Some former MAGA supporters are now making claims that the July 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, was staged. This is a new twist in the conspiracy theories that emerged after a shooting scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The claims, shared on social media by some right-wing influencers and anonymous accounts, lack verified evidence. Federal investigators have treated the Butler attack as an assassination attempt since the day after the rally. The FBI has also looked into the shooting as possible domestic terrorism.
This latest wave of conspiracy theories followed a security incident at the Washington Hilton on Saturday. Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and other officials were evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after a gunman tried to breach security, according to Reuters. A Secret Service agent was wounded, and a suspect was taken into custody.
Almost immediately, the word “staged” spread across social media, as reported by France 24 on Monday. WIRED noted that both right-wing and left-wing accounts pushed these unfounded theories after the dinner incident. Some users connected it to earlier claims about Butler.
I’m 1,000% for releasing the manifesto. I’m for releasing all shooter’s information including what SSRI’s they are on, if any, all meds or drugs.
But I want to know why the Trump admin released Cole Allen’s manifesto immediately but they still keep a tight lid on Thomas Crooks.…
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) April 26, 2026
The Butler attack happened on July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania. Trump was injured in the ear, one rallygoer was killed, and two others were critically hurt, according to reports from Reuters and the FBI at the time. The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed at the scene.
Conspiracy theories started appearing within hours of the Butler shooting. Some falsely claimed the attack was staged for Trump’s political benefit. Others suggested, without evidence, that federal agencies let it happen. Reuters fact-checked several claims in the days after the attack and found viral narratives based on misidentified individuals, altered contexts, or unfounded assertions.
This newer version of the theory has gained attention because some accounts promoting it once supported Trump or identified with the MAGA movement, according to France 24 and WIRED. The claims seem linked to frustration among some right-wing users over Trump’s second-term policies, foreign policy decisions, and the handling of several high-profile controversies.
Official investigations have not confirmed the staged theory. A House task force report and a Senate Homeland Security Committee report reviewed security failures surrounding the Butler rally but recognized the shooting as a real assassination attempt. The Senate report stated that security failures allowed Trump to be shot during the July 13 rally.
Karoline Leavitt, speaking before the WHCA dinner:
“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 at the room, so everyone should tune in — it’s going to be really great.”
That’s one hell of a coincidence, isn’t it? 😡 pic.twitter.com/khoR44p4t8
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) April 26, 2026
The White House has viewed the Washington dinner incident as another attempt on Trump’s life. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that officials were reviewing security procedures following the incident, according to Reuters.
Trump later requested that the White House Correspondents’ Association reschedule the dinner within 30 days, as reported by The Washington Post.
The spread of staged claims shows how quickly political violence can fuel conflicting online narratives, even when investigators have released early findings. In the Butler case, federal and congressional records identify the attack as an assassination attempt, while the new claims come from speculation and selective interpretations of video clips.
No law enforcement agency has provided evidence that the Butler shooting was staged.
