Conspiracy theories flood social media after Correspondents’ Dinner shooting

WorldPolitics
27 Apr 2026 • 7:57 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Conspiracy theories flood social media after Correspondents’ Dinner shooting

  • Conspiracy theories rapidly spread online following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.
  • Users on the left-leaning Bluesky social network posted the word “STAGED” after the incident, per WIRED.
  • On X, a platform tending to lean rightward, some users claimed the shooting was a false flag operation intended to drum up support for Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project.
  • Right-wing content creator Matt Walsh mocked these individuals on X, pointing out the illogical nature and lack of evidence for such theories.

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