Minutes after Trump shooting, misinformation started flying. Here are the facts
Associated PressWASHINGTON — Within minutes of the gunfire, the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump spawned a vast sea of claims — some outlandish, others contradictory — reflecting the frightening uncertainties of the moment as well as America’s fevered, polarized political climate. They go online to try to figure it out.” Here’s a look at the claims that surfaced online following the shooting: Claims of an inside job or false flag are unsubstantiated Many of the more specious claims that surfaced immediately after the shooting sought to blame Trump or his Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden, for the attack. Some voices on the left quickly proclaimed the shooting to be a false flag concocted by Trump, while some Trump supporters suggested the Secret Service intentionally failed to protect Trump on the White House’s orders. Moments like this are ‘cannon fodder’ for extremists Conspiracy theories quickly emerged online that misidentified the suspected shooter, blamed other people without evidence and espoused hate speech, including virulent antisemitism. They pointed in particular to a comment Biden made to donors on July 8, saying “it’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.” Ware said that comment from Biden was “violent rhetoric” that is “raising the stakes,” especially when combined with Biden’s existential words about the election.