In recent weeks, as criticism of President Donald Trump from his own supporters has reached a fever pitch, a new conspiracy theory has taken hold. Some of the president’s biggest backers are now claiming that the assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania in 2024 was staged and covered up.

During an open-air campaign rally on July 13, 2024, Trump survived when a bullet fired by a 20-year-old from a nearby roof clipped the top of his ear. Corey Comperatore, a Trump supporter sitting near the president, was killed in the attempt and the shooter later died at the hands of Secret Service agents.

Conspiracy theories around the incident quickly spread on social media platforms like X and Telegram, with some leading figures suggesting that the entire event was staged to draw attention or support. Former Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson even suggested the FBI might have been involved in covering up the shooting.

The claims gained momentum when former US National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent appeared on Carlson’s podcast, alleging that investigations into the incident had been shut down before they finished. This silence only fuelled more speculation and conspiracy theories among Trump supporters who believe the truth will never be revealed.