Trump reacts to conspiracy theories about staged dinner shooting

• Many social media users are saying (without evidence) the shooting at the White House correspondents' dinner was staged.
• Trump, talking to CBS News' Norah O'Donnell, who was also at the dinner, called the conspiracy "a tough sell."

President Donald Trump was asked about conspiracies that the shooting outside the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was staged in an April 26 "60 Minutes" interview.

There has not been any evidence released that the incident was staged or that the suspected shooter, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, acted out of any reason besides his own motivations. Police are still piecing together information about the incident, but Allen has been charged with attempting to assassinate Trump.

Countless social media users have raised questions or false accusations that the shooting was staged. It wouldn't be the first time; many conspiracies about the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024 still persist today.

Trump was interviewed by CBS News' Norah O'Donnell about the incident, where she asked Trump about those conspiracies. Here is what he had to say.

Norah O'Donnell asks Trump about staged conspiracies

O'Donnell asked Trump about conspiracy theories that the incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was staged or didn't happen, mentioning that she was hesitant to ask at all.

"I think they're more sick than they are con people, but there's a lot of con in it, too," Trump said of conspiracy theorists.

"I haven't heard that last night didn't happen. What — usually it takes a little bit longer. Usually, they wait about two or three months to start saying that."

O'Donnell wondered where it came from, commenting on the fact that she was also at the dinner where shots were heard and attendees scrambled under the tables.

"That would be a tough one. I think that'd be a tough sell," Trump said.

Conspiracies about WHCA dinner follow Butler conspiracies

On July 13, 2024, Trump was speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman positioned on a rooftop near the rally fired multiple shots toward the then-presidential candidate.

Trump was shot at before he ducked behind the lectern as Secret Service agents swarmed him and ushered him off stage. However, they did not get him out of public sight before he raised a fist in the air as blood streaked down his face in a photo moment that would be a defining image of his campaign.

After the WHCA dinner, some drew comparisons to Butler, claiming without evidence that it was another staged attempt on Trump's life.

But multiple pieces of evidence show Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet at the campaign rally. The shooter and a spectator at the rally were killed, and two people were critically injured.

While the conspiracies about Butler have existed since almost immediately after it happened, the theories have received new attention after being taken up by some prominent MAGA personalities, CNN and Wired have reported.

Contributing: Michael Collins, Josh Meyer, USA TODAY

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her onX (Twitter),Threads,Bluesky andTikTok.