Trump shooting: conflicting conspiracy theories emerge from rally, ‘one screen, two movies’

Two duelling conspiracy theories are taking root online following Trump’s attempted assassination, one for each end of America’s polarised political spectrum

Reading Time:4 minutes

Former US president Donald Trump is rushed off stage by secret service after being grazed by a bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 12:00am, 19 Jul 2024Updated: 2:00am, 19 Jul 2024

A former president is wounded in a shooting, the gunman quickly neutralised, and all of it is caught on camera. But for those who don’t believe their eyes, that’s just the start of the story.

For some supporters of Donald Trump, the failure of the Secret Service to prevent the attempted assassination of the Republican former president points to a conspiracy orchestrated by Democratic President Joe Biden.

For some of Trump’s critics, however, the details of the shooting don’t add up. They wonder if Trump staged the whole thing.

Two duelling conspiracy theories are taking root online following Trump’s attempted assassination, one for each end of America’s polarised political spectrum. In this split-screen republic, Americans are increasingly choosing their own reality, at the expense of a shared understanding of the facts.

“One screen, two movies” is how Ron Bassilian describes the online reaction to Saturday’s shooting at a Pennsylvania rally. Bassilian is a prolific user of social media and has used X to broadcast his conjecture about the shooting.

“People have their beliefs, and they’re going to come up with theories that fit their beliefs.”

Bassilian is one of many Republicans now questioning how the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to climb to the roof of a building providing a clear shot at Trump and whether law enforcement looked the other way to allow the attempt.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x