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Conspiracy theories surge after WHCA dinner attack
Fox News anchors John Roberts and Gillian Turner delve into the surge of conspiracy theories following an attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last Saturday night. Justice correspondent David Spunt reports on Cole Allen facing three federal charges, including the transportation of firearms and discharging a weapon. This incident, which the U.S. Attorney for D.C. has labeled an attempted assassination, has ignited discussions on the role of the media and political violence, with some casting doubt on its legitimacy.
Reports from the Washington Post indicate a rise in conspiracy theories online after a gunman allegedly tried to assassinate President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. This has led to a significant increase in speculation surrounding the event.
Cole Allen, aged 31, is currently in federal custody. He faces charges of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, illegally transporting a firearm across state boundaries, and discharging a weapon in the commission of a violent crime. The charges stem from an incident where Allen allegedly breached a Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton Hotel, the venue of the dinner.
Just moments before the alleged attack by Allen, President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, First Lady Melania Trump, Second Lady Usha Vance, and other members of the Trump administration had settled in for the evening’s events.
President Donald Trump shared an image on social media depicting law enforcement personnel detaining Cole Thomas Allen following the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. The photo was shared via Trump’s Truth Social account and is credited to Anadolu/Getty Images.
The Washington Post’s analysis says that one in five posts by “left-wing and liberal influencers and politicians” in the immediate aftermath of the attack claims that it was staged, a hoax or a “false flag.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, was perhaps the largest name among the conspiracy theorists, calling the incident “fake.”
Other far-left influencers online made similar suggestions.
President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the White House Brady Briefing Room on April 25, 2026, after the cancellation of the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner following a possible shooting. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
Morgan J. Freeman, a Hollywood director and producer — not to be confused with actor Morgan Freeman — simply wrote the word “STAGED” in all capital letters 132 times in a single X post Sunday afternoon. The post received 58,000 likes, was shared 9,400 times and was viewed 1.3 million times.
The prevailing sentiment among conspiracy posters is that the alleged assassination attempt would benefit the 47th president politically.
A photo of Cole Allen in a graduation gown and cap from 2025. (Cole Allen/LinkedIn)
“Anyone who thinks President Trump staged his own assassination attempts is a complete moron,” Trump spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital.
Allen was a Democratic activist who attended at least one “No Kings” protest, and once donated $25 to ActBlue, the progressive digital fundraising platform, which was earmarked for Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential bid.
A shotgun used by Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting, is displayed before Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and others held a news conference at the Department of Justice on April 27, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc)
He sent communication to a family member before the alleged attack, according to authorities, rationalizing what he acknowledged was a mission that would likely severely harm or kill him.
He allegedly said his motivations were political, and painted himself as a savior of the oppressed. At points, officials said, he also noted that there were certain people he hoped wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.
Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office.