Conflicting Conspiracy Theories Emerge From Shooting

July 17, 2024 5:00 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two very different conspiracy theories are spreading in the days following former President Donald Trump’s attempted assassination. For some Trump supporters, the failure of the Secret Service to stop the shooter before he fired at Trump suggests a conspiracy orchestrated by President Joe Biden. For some Trump critics, however, the same video footage is being used to suggest Trump staged the shooting. There’s no evidence to support either claim, and authorities haven’t suggested a motive for the suspect. That lack of information is prompting many people to go online for information. Often, the misleading claims they encounter say less about the shooting than the country’s political polarization.