The Ballroom Truthers Have a Theory
Following an apparent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, conspiracy theories alleging the event was staged quickly spread online, with claims amplified by social media influencers and selective video clips. Some suggested President Trump faked the incident to justify building a controversial ballroom, citing a recent court ruling against the project. Others, including prominent figures, questioned the authenticity of both this and a prior 2024 incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, though officials dismissed such claims as baseless. Experts note that while these theories are highly visible, their actual public support is difficult to gauge.
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TechnologyThe Ballroom Truthers Have a TheoryThe fake-assassination-attempt conspiracy keeps growing.By Kaitlyn TiffanyIllustration by Lucy Naland. Sources: Tasos Katopodis / Getty; Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty; Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty.April 28, 2026, 3:19 PM ET ShareSave Within hours of the gunfire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night—and initial, erroneous reports that the shooter had been killed—the usual swirl of misinformation and rumor was swirling in a particular direction. The event was staged, people said.More than 300,000 posts containing the word staged were shared on X before midday on Sunday, according to an analysis cited by The New York Times.
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