Social media filled with disinformation after Trump rally shooting
Following the aftermath of the Trump rally shooting, many users on social media began theorizing about the details of the events. The result was rampant disinformation, veering into conspiracy theories, according to BNN Bloomberg.
Former US President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, while at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 13, survived an assassination attempt. The suspect, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired eight times at Trump, resulting in the death of Corey Comperatore and the injuries of two other individuals. Trump was grazed in the ear during the attack.
Despite numerous reports about the incident, social media users added their own twists to the event. In the Bloomberg article, politicians on X were found to be accusing Biden of inciting the shooting – some even saying that he “sent the orders.”
This includes a post from Ohio Senator J.D, Vance, whom Trump picked as his running mate for the elections.
Bloomberg highlighted that some posts also misidentified the killer, speculating that it was a known Antifa extremist or, in some cases, an Italian YouTuber based off some photos.
Conspiracy theorists went into overdrive in the aftermath, as covered by the BBC. Many users were suspicious of the sheer failures of the security, stating that it seemed “too convenient.”
A quoted X user in the article wrote “It looks very staged,” noting that the crowd wasn’t panicking or running. “I don’t trust it. I don’t trust him,” he added. Moreover, the article suggested the conspiracies may have arisen due to the release of seemingly perfect photos of the incident.
According to the Washington Post, this group of people is being referred to as BlueAnon, a play on QAnon, to make fun of the conspiracy theories that emerged from the shooting.
Some, like political advisor Dmitri Melhorn, hinted in an email that the event was staged as a shrewd, political move from Trump. “NOT ONE NEWSPAPER OR OPINION LEADER IN AMERICA IS WILLING TO OPENLY CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT TRUMP AND PUTIN STAGED THIS ON PURPOSE. Ask the question, people,” he said.
However, the day after, Melhorn apologized for the statement, clamoring for unity in “condemnation of such violence in every instance, without reservation.”
US President Joe Biden also echoed the message of unity when he urged citizens to condemn political violence in an address.
“In America, we resolve our differences at the ballot box, not with bullets. The power of America should always rest in the people, not would-be assassins,” Biden said.
On Sunday, Biden jumpstarted an investigation into the motive of the suspect. – Rav Ayag/Rappler.com
Rav Ayag is a Tech and Features intern at Rappler. He is an incoming senior at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Creative Writing program.
This story was vetted by a reporter and an editor.