TOI World Desk
In the aftermath of the shooting incident involving former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, a plethora of conspiracy theories emerged online, fueled by the lack of information provided by the FBI regarding the shooter’s motive. These unsubstantiated theories, which ranged from speculations about the shooter’s identity to claims about the incident being staged, quickly gained traction on social media platforms, accumulating millions of views.
According to NBC News, the word “staged” became the second-highest trending topic on X, with over 228,000 posts using the term within an hour of the incident. Despite the absence of evidence supporting claims of the shooting being staged, numerous posts asserting this notion garnered several million views. Similar sentiments were echoed on Meta’s Instagram and Threads, albeit to smaller audiences.
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Another trending topic on X was “Antifa,” as social media posts seemingly misidentified the gunman responsible for the shooting. These posts blamed a “prominent Antifa activist,” Mark Violets, despite law enforcement not having released any information about his background.
Several reports also claimed that law enforcement officials informed that Trump was not hit by a bullet but by glass shards or fragments instead.
Some individuals pointed out that this incident could potentially boost President Trump’s presidential campaign against President Biden. The shooting has raised concerns about the increasing prevalence of violent threats and attacks on politicians, particularly in light of the already heated election cycle.
Trump, 78, was shot in the ear during his speech, causing his blood to streak across his face. His security agents quickly surrounded him before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
He later shared on his Truth Social platform, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. Much bleeding took place.”
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump is set to face Democratic President Joe Biden in a rematch, with most opinion polls showing the two candidates in a close contest.
According to NBC News, the word “staged” became the second-highest trending topic on X, with over 228,000 posts using the term within an hour of the incident. Despite the absence of evidence supporting claims of the shooting being staged, numerous posts asserting this notion garnered several million views. Similar sentiments were echoed on Meta’s Instagram and Threads, albeit to smaller audiences.
Follow live updates
Another trending topic on X was “Antifa,” as social media posts seemingly misidentified the gunman responsible for the shooting. These posts blamed a “prominent Antifa activist,” Mark Violets, despite law enforcement not having released any information about his background.
Several reports also claimed that law enforcement officials informed that Trump was not hit by a bullet but by glass shards or fragments instead.
Some individuals pointed out that this incident could potentially boost President Trump’s presidential campaign against President Biden. The shooting has raised concerns about the increasing prevalence of violent threats and attacks on politicians, particularly in light of the already heated election cycle.
Trump, 78, was shot in the ear during his speech, causing his blood to streak across his face. His security agents quickly surrounded him before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
He later shared on his Truth Social platform, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. Much bleeding took place.”
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump is set to face Democratic President Joe Biden in a rematch, with most opinion polls showing the two candidates in a close contest.