The Ballroom Truthers Have a Theory
Following an apparent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, conspiracy theories quickly emerged claiming the event was staged. Online speculation, amplified by social media influencers and selective video clips, suggested the incident was fabricated to advance President Trump's plan to build a secure ballroom. These theories echo similar claims made after a prior 2024 incident, with both sides of the political spectrum advancing conflicting narratives.
- ▪Over 300,000 posts containing the word 'staged' were shared on X within hours of the incident.
- ▪A clip of Karoline Leavitt saying 'There will be some shots fired tonight in the room' was widely circulated as alleged evidence.
- ▪Fox News reporter Aishah Hasnie’s interrupted live broadcast fueled speculation, despite her later explanation about poor cell service.
- ▪Trump claimed on Truth Social that the attack would not have occurred if his proposed ballroom were already built.
- ▪GOP senators and the Justice Department renewed support for the ballroom project following the event.
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
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 ShareSave Listen−1.0x+Seek0:008:03Updated at 11:25 a.m. ET on April 29, 2026Sign up for Inside the Trump Presidency, a newsletter featuring coverage of the second Trump term.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.
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