Moments after former U.S. President Donald Trump was shot at his election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, conspiracy theories, false and misleading claims, and unsupported assertions about the incident quickly proliferated on social media. Meanwhile, authorities continue to investigate the details of the attempted assassination.
Biden Blamed Amid Misinformation About Trump Assassination Attempt
The attack has sparked numerous conspiracy theories, ranging from speculation about the shooter's identity to claims about whether the incident was pre-planned. Conspiracy theorists and some politicians have exploited the scarcity of details to promote unconfirmed and unverified claims.
American media reported that these posts went viral, including some from elected politicians who claimed, without evidence, that President Joe Biden ordered the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally. Others asserted that the incident was fabricated, and some circulated posts misidentifying the shooter.
Many politicians have accused Biden or his campaign of being “directly” behind the shooting without providing evidence. Georgia State Representative Mike Collins posted on X, “Joe Biden sent the orders,” while Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, one of Trump's leading vice-presidential contenders, wrote that Biden's campaign rhetoric “directly led to the attempted assassination of President Trump.”
Texas Representative Ronnie Jackson pointed to unnamed left-wing figures, accusing them of “direct responsibility” for the events at the Trump campaign rally.
Italian Content Creator Falsely Linked to Trump Attack
Pro-far-right accounts published a photo in posts about the shooter at the Trump rally, claiming it depicted a man named Mark Violets, described as a “known Antifa extremist,” referring to the decentralized left-wing movement. Upon verification, the photo was found to be misleading and actually belonged to Marco Violi, a well-known Italian sportswriter and video content creator on social media, who denied any involvement in the shooting.
Violi posted on his Instagram account denying the false news, writing in Italian, “I strongly deny any involvement in this situation. I woke up in the middle of the night to numerous notifications on Instagram and X. I am in Italy, in Rome, and had no idea what happened.”
Who Fired at Donald Trump?
Right-wing allegations about the attacker preceded the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identifying the shooter early Sunday. The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, aged 20, residing in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and stated that the investigation is ongoing.
According to American media, Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania’s voter database, matching his name, age, and address in Bethel Park. Law enforcement authorities were searching for him on Sunday morning. This year's presidential election marks the first in which Crooks is old enough to cast a ballot.
Reports: Social Media Platforms Flooded With Unsubstantiated Claims About Trump Rally
The New York Times reported that immediately after former President Donald Trump was escorted from the stage following gunfire at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, unsubstantiated claims flooded social media.
The newspaper noted that social media posts, without evidence, blamed unspecified left-wing figures for targeting Trump and echoed Trump's claims that the “deep state” or a secretive government group aimed to thwart his return to the White House. These unverified claims surfaced on platforms including Gab, Truth Social, and Parler, which are favored by the far-right.
Bloomberg reported that misinformation inundated social media following the shooting at Trump's rally in Pennsylvania. The website highlighted that during significant events, the true facts may not always be immediately clear. It added that law enforcement authorities, including the Secret Service, FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, and Department of Justice, are continuing to investigate the motives behind the shooting.
Experts Warn Against Misinformation Spread Post-Trump Rally Incident
Disinformation experts cautioned against hastily drawing conclusions after the shooting incident involving Trump. The New York Times quoted Roberta Braga, founder of the Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas, who said, “We are about to see a lot of disinformation spreading about who is behind the shooting, who executed it, and the events that led up to this moment. Watch for emotional language.”
Disinformation researcher Amanda Rogers has described the polarized, unhinged, conspiracy-laden uproar in social media in response to the shooting of Donald Trump as “a self-sustaining spiral of shit.”
The Guardian reported that Rogers added the conversation on social media is focused on the motivations of the shooter and the impact on the election. Bad actors want to turn a moment like this into a broader call for violence, and they will spread lies to get there, she said.
While Jonathan Corpus Ong, a disinformation researcher and communications professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, highlighted the emotional and historical nature of the moment, which he believes allows for manipulation that reinforces existing biases and “triggers very strong emotions of fear or anxiety,” Ong said, “I think that’s what we need to be looking at. And be wary of.”
Ongoing Investigation Into Shooting at Trump Rally
The FBI, alongside the U.S. Secret Service and state law enforcement, continues to investigate the shooting incident at the Trump rally using all available resources, according to a statement. The bureau has also urged anyone with relevant information to contact the tip line.
Officials explained that investigators remain at the scene in Butler, Pennsylvania, and are progressing with their work as the investigation unfolds.
Republican lawmakers have announced plans to swiftly investigate how an individual managed to evade Secret Service agents, climb to the roof of a nearby building during Trump’s campaign rally, and fire shots in multiple locations.
Mike Johnson, Speaker of the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives, announced that House committees will summon officials from the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI for hearings in the near future.
The House Oversight Committee has scheduled Secret Service Director Kimberly Chittle to testify on July 22.
Trump Reacts To Attempted Assassination
One participant in the rally was killed, and two others were seriously injured. The Secret Service confirmed that the suspected shooter was killed during the pursuit.
In a statement following the incident, Trump said, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I immediately sensed something was wrong when I heard a whizzing sound and then felt the bullet ripping through my skin, causing significant bleeding. It was then that I realized what was happening.”
Trump also expressed condolences, stating, “I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person who was killed at the rally. It is unbelievable that such an act could occur in our country.”
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