From the assassination attempt on Donald Trump’s life to Joe Biden’s sudden withdrawal from the presidential race, the past month has offered ample material for the most paranoid creatives among us to do what they do best: spark baseless allegations on the internet—and watch the world burn.
Whether they originated from casual s---posts or strategically planted by political operatives online, the conspiracy theories keep coming. The most widespread and outrageous among them are here to stay, gaining traction by the day and jamming your social media feeds in the process. So without further ado…
Conspiracy Theory: The Donald Trump Shooting Was ‘Staged’
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Ah, a classic. It didn’t take long for the ever-predictable “false flag” narrative to take hold in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump. From Facebook, to X, to Instagram—social media was quickly flooded with claims that Trump staged his own shooting at a July 13 campaign rally to galvanize his supporters and paint himself a martyr in the eyes of the electorate.
Never mind that the attack was live-streamed, captured by dozens of photographers, in front of thousands of Trump supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania. The blood dripping from his ear? A simple pill filled with red liquid. The three people killed in the incident? All actors, of course. How else could such a picturesque photograph like this one come to be? Surely not the result of skilled camerawork by a storied war photographer who’s quick on his feet.
The staging narrative is just one of several conspiracy theories that circulated about the Trump shooting—but this one is still going strong a full month later.
Conspiracy Theory: Joe Biden Is Actually Dead
A throwback! The conspiracy theory that the U.S. president is… well, no longer with us had actually emerged well before Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential election, and came hand-in-hand with the debate around his health and cognitive capacities.
While social media users had been alleging for months that Biden had been replaced by a clone, the president’s withdrawal from the race certainly breathed new life into the absurd fantasy.
Mask technology. A body double. A CIA masterplan. This particular conspiracy theory might seem like the unhinged ramblings of an eternally online troll, but that didn’t stop billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman from sharing his thoughts on the matter.
“If this were a hostage situation, that letter would not qualify as proof of life,” Ackman tweeted to his 1.3 million followers, in response to Biden’s letter formally announcing he won’t be running for re-election. Oops.
At least there’s not much of a “Kamala is dead” crowd yet. Speaking of the vice president…
Conspiracy Theory: Kamala Harris’ Huge Crowds Are Just AI
Being the subject of bonkers conspiracy theories does not preclude you from spouting equally ridiculous lies. Take Donald Trump, who has taken to Truth Social to accuse Vice President Kamala Harris of using AI to generate false crowd sizes at her rallies.
“Has anyone noticed that Kamala CHEATED at the airport? There was nobody at the plane, and she ‘A.I.‘d’ it, and showed a massive ‘crowd’ of so-called followers, BUT THEY DIDN’T EXIST!,” the Republican presidential nominee said in a post on Sunday, referencing the crowds pictured at Vice President Kamala Harris’ Michigan rally last week.
What else is a presidential candidate to do when up against an opponent who has garnered such popularity and enthusiasm so quickly? Blame those crafty computers, of course!
Never mind all the subsequent fact-checking and expert assessments that will inevitably follow, exposing your lies.
Bonus! Veep Edition
Lest you believe the vice presidential candidates have been spared from the creative fabrications, think again!
Hours after he was named Kamala Harris’ running mate, Governor Tim Walz was accused of having changed the flag of Minnesota to resemble that of Somalia’s. Can you believe it? (Please don’t!)
His Republican counterpart has been the subject of a misinformation campaign too. Who can forget the unfortunate rumor that JD Vance had sexual relations with a couch, which spread like wildfire? Vance took an unconventional approach in addressing the outrageous claim—by awkwardly attempting to get in on the joke himself. As the saying goes: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
