# I pit "the shooting was staged" conspiracy theorists **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [April 26, 2026, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570 "2026-04-26T15:58:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/21 "2026-04-26T19:18:58Z")
It has become obvious to all of those around him that el donald has gone completely off the deep end. He is more useful now as a martyr. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/22 "2026-04-26T19:19:33Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > No, Maga is going to blame this on gay, trans, socialist, Satan worshiping, atheist, Democrat, followers of Soros (so Jews). Don’t forget that these particular atheist Jews are Islamic radicals. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/23 "2026-04-26T19:25:11Z")
And half Black radical Christians. There’s a throwback! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/24 "2026-04-26T19:25:17Z")
What?! Women ain’t on the list? Figures. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/25 "2026-04-26T19:26:37Z")
Conservatives can not define what a woman is. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/26 "2026-04-26T19:31:48Z")
Ok. This whole shooting is a Fake of a fake that faked us out once. So we’re gonna re-fake the faker while the fake news attend a dinner for Fake news. That they falsely determined could happen. And faked Trump out, them blasted fakers. Little like the snake swallowing his own tail. Ya think? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/27 "2026-04-26T20:00:31Z")
> [@Ancient\_Nerd](#): > > It has become obvious to all of those around him that el donald has gone completely off the deep end. He is more useful now as a martyr Again I can totally see some of the people around Trump thinking that way (and by “gone off the deep end” I mean done things that might actually hurt their political career, “them” being specifically a furniturophile vice president and his hangers on). But there is no way in hell anyone in this administration is pulling off a conspiracy like that. It would be basically impossible for a disciplined well organized administration, with this shit show it would be out in minutes. ---
**Author:** ![doomtastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@doomtastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doomtastic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/28 "2026-04-26T20:04:15Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > But there is no way in hell anyone in this administration is pulling off a conspiracy like that. It would be basically impossible for a disciplined well organized administration, with this shit show it would be out in minutes. Vance wouldn’t have the balls. Hegseth would accidentally include a journalist on the signal chat where he hires the hitman he intends to set up. Etc. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/29 "2026-04-26T20:05:27Z")
Having a president who lies like other people breathe should cause sane people to take nothing at face value up front. Trump would have to provide proof to me today, Sunday, if he were to claim that today was Sunday. I can’t fault skeptics of this lying clown. ---
**Author:** ![doomtastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@doomtastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doomtastic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/30 "2026-04-26T20:15:10Z")
I’d agree if this were about statements made by the president. If he’d _claimed_ there was an assassination attempt and there were no other eye witnesses, and no one was verifying it that didn’t directly work for him, I’d be similarly skeptical. But people are extending their skepticism of things he says to actual events in the real world. Just because he lies doesn’t make everything that happens around him a lie. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/31 "2026-04-26T20:16:33Z")
I agree. If Trump told me the sun rises in the east I would wake early to check for myself. That said, I don’t think this was a false flag kinda thing. I can’t be sure but that’s my current belief. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/32 "2026-04-26T20:29:25Z")
SKINNER: Oh, relax, kids. I’ve got a “gut feeling” Uter’s around here somewhere. After all, isn’t there a little Uter in all of us? In fact, you might even say we just ate Uter, and he’s in our stomachs right now! Wait, scratch that one. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/33 "2026-04-26T20:31:37Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I agree. If Trump told me the sun rises in the east I would wake early to check for myself. If you told me Trump and the collection of fascist scumbags surrounding him were malicious and immoral enough to come up with a murderous conspiracy to try and stay in power, I’d laugh because of course they fucking are If you told me Trump and the collection of fascist scumbags surrounding him were competent and organized enough to succeed in pulling off a murderous conspiracy to try and stay in power, and keep the whole thing secret, I’d laugh because of course they fucking aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/34 "2026-04-26T20:47:42Z")
> [@themapleleaf](#): > > Yes, me too. > > The reason why I wouldn’t discount this as a conspiracy theory is because Trump is 1) a wannabe dictator; 2) a pathological liar. It wouldn’t surprise me if it _was_ staged. Yeah, I donno. But I’m sure in his black heart and tiny mind he KNEW he could not outwit journalists and comedians. He would look like the fool that he is. He needed a way out. Not sure this was staged though. Perhaps he got lucky again because someone was trying to kill him (we don’t know for sure who the target was though). Anyway, he didn’t have to do his routine, which I’m sure would have been laughed at, but not in the way Donnie expected it to be. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/35 "2026-04-26T20:53:39Z")
It’s not a “conspiracy theory” when it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/36 "2026-04-26T21:04:31Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I don’t know that “conspiracy theory” is the right term. It’s not like anyone is saying this shooting was staged by the Iluminati or the Russians or space aliens. I think it could have been “arranged” by trump supporters who are still distracting the public from the Epstein files. I believe you’re a reader of H.C. Richardson, who is known to be a level-headed, calm analyst of the political scene. In today’s column we find something I wish more journalists would practice: reporting of what “appears” to have happened without any assumptions that what seems to be is what IS. No presumptions that the “way things look” equals the “way things are.” > [@](#): > > … While it is customary for a president to attend at least one WHCA dinner, where traditionally a comedian roasts him, Trump has always refused to attend. This year, though, he agreed (although a mentalist was engaged to perform instead of the usual comedian). With his job approval numbers plummeting and the administration mired in a war in Iran that Trump appears to have started on a whim, along with the economy stumbling, there was plenty of speculation about what he would say at the event and how journalists should react if he used the opportunity to insult them. > > We will probably never know. Something happened at the event that made Secret Service agents evacuate Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. Exactly what happened is not yet clear: it appears law enforcement stopped an armed man outside the event, and a subsequent noise alarmed dinner attendees and Secret Service agents, who rushed the president, the first lady, and other government officials to a secure location. > > … Referring to the threat of a shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner—which has never happened before —he said: “I will say, you know, it’s not a particularly secure building, and, uh, I didn’t want to say this, but this is why we have to have all of the attributes of what we’re planning at the White House. It’s actually a larger room, and it’s much more secure. It’s got— It’s drone proof. It’s bulletproof glass. We need the ballroom. … There were voices on the right hitting that same note immediately, before much was known about the incident. All about how The Ballroom was absolutely necessary: [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HG1qKdRWYAAmUvB.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HG1qKdRWYAAmUvB.jpg) The Richardson piece is at Substack, which is free to read if you’ve given an email (worth it for the number of great writers there). > **[April 25, 2026](https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-25-2026)** > > Tonight the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) held its annual black-tie dinner, which is designed both to raise money for the institution and to provide a glitzy night out for journalists. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/37 "2026-04-26T21:53:34Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Having a president who lies like other people breathe should cause sane people to take nothing at face value up front. Trump would have to provide proof to me today, Sunday, if he were to claim that today was Sunday. Trump could tell me it was sunny on the 4th of July and I’d still have to go check for myself. That said, I’m going to need evidence to believe this was a hoax. It’s not that I believe Trump wouldn’t lie about this sort of thing, it’s just that I don’t think they’re competent enough to pull such a hoax off successfully. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/38 "2026-04-26T21:55:02Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > It’s not that I believe Trump wouldn’t lie about this sort of thing, it’s just that I don’t think they’re competent enough to pull such a hoax off successfully. And in front of a bunch of reporters. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/39 "2026-04-26T21:56:02Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I don’t think they’re competent enough to pull such a hoax off successfully. It wasn’t successful. The guy was stopped long before he got to el donald. No one got the secret service to buy in. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570/40 "2026-04-26T22:10:39Z")
It’s a very weird state of affairs when Ka$h Patel tells it how it really is: > [@Kash Patel](#): > > You saw the _very best of America tonight_ Of course, there’s that long standing meme about merkins and irony to consider. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-shooting-was-staged-conspiracy-theorists/1029570.md?page=3)