Within minutes of reports of gunfire near the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday, social media platforms were crowded with claims, counterclaims and theories about what had happened.
Users across political lines joined the debate on platforms including X, Facebook and TikTok. Many posts, without evidence, suggested the incident had been staged.
According to a The New York Times report, the word “staged” appeared in more than 300,000 posts on X by midday Sunday, based on data from TweetBinder, a social media analytics firm owned by Audiense.
What Happened At The Washington Correspondents’ Dinner Event
US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several senior officials and journalists were attending the dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, when the situation unfolded.
A suspect, identified by media reports as Cole Thomas Allen of California, bypassed security and fired shots as he moved towards the venue. He was detained by law enforcement, while the president and vice president were taken to safety.
Also read: “I Want To Throw Up, Cry”: What Trump Event Shooter Wrote In His Manifesto
Ballroom Theory That Took Hold Online
Among the more widely shared theories on X was the suggestion that the shooting had been staged to build public support for Trump’s plan to construct a new ballroom at the White House. The president himself mentioned the ballroom at a press conference following the incident and in a Truth Social post on Sunday morning.
Some social media users pointed to the speed of these responses as supposed proof of coordination. One post questioning whether the event was staged was viewed more than 8.9 million times.
Fox News Clip And A Cut Phone Call
Another set of theories centred around a Fox News broadcast in which the channel’s White House correspondent, Aishah Hasnie, was reporting live from the Hilton when her feed was cut. Before the line dropped, she told viewers that press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s husband had told her, “You need to be very safe.”
“Fox News just cut one of their reporters off as they seemed to indicate the shooting was a preplanned false flag,” one X user wrote in a post viewed more than 5.6 million times.
Hasnie later clarified on X that her phone signal had dropped in an area known for poor reception. “He was telling me to be careful with my own safety because the world is crazy. He was expressing his concern for my safety,” she wrote.
She Said, “Shots Will Be Fired”
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt also found herself at the centre of theories. In an interview ahead of the dinner, she had said “shots will be fired”, a reference to the jokes Trump had been due to deliver at the event.
After the incident, some users described the comment as unusual or questionable, sharing posts and memes suggesting she knew the attack was planned.
‘False Flag’ Op
One of the most widely shared theories claimed the incident was a so-called false flag operation, intended to shift attention from international tensions or to justify tighter security.
Theorists cited reactions from figures close to the president, including Dana White, who reportedly refused to “get down.” The theory claimed that those in Trump’s inner circle knew they were never truly at risk.
Alleged ‘Israel Connection’
Another theory suggested a possible foreign connection, pointing to alleged search activity linked to the suspect’s name in Israel before the incident.
Some accounts, including Russian and Iranian media, also shared unverified images claiming links to Israeli institutions.
It is important to note that the officials haven’t found any evidence to support these claims. Officials said the suspect’s writings focused on personal motivations and did not reference any foreign involvement.