False claim: X post incorrectly states that Trump staged rally shooting
A viral post shared on a social media platform alleges that former President Donald Trump staged a shooting at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. The post claims that the shooting was fake and that Trump used fake blood capsules. However, this claim has been debunked by the FBI and U.S. Secret Service, who confirmed that the shooting was not staged. The perpetrator of the shooting, Thomas Matthew Crooks, referred to the attack as his “premiere” in a post made online and had conducted searches for Trump’s public appearances. Trump himself confirmed the authenticity of the shooting, stating that he heard shots and felt the bullet ripping through his skin. The FBI identified Crooks as the shooter and confirmed that it was an attempted assassination. the claim that the shooting was staged by Trump is false.
A viral post shared on X purports 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump staged the shooting at his July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Screenshot captured via X
Verdict: False
The claim is false. Statements released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Secret Service indicate the shooting was not staged.
Fact Check:
Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old man who opened fire on Trump’s rally, referred to the attack as his “premiere” in a post made via an online gaming platform, according to CBS News. Crooks also conducted searches for Trump’s “public appearances and dates,” the outlet reported.
The X post, viewed over four million times, purports Trump staged the shooting at his July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “That is NOT, I repeat, NOT a gun shot wound. He faked it with a blood pill – nothing more,” the post begins. “If that is a gunshot wound, they used a BB gun you f–king clowns. Trump just knows how stupid his cult is. Just as stupid as Biden’s cult,” it continues.
The post features a photo from the rally showing Trump with blood on his face alongside a photo of fake blood capsules used for film-making available for purchase on Amazon.
The claim is false, as the shooting was not staged. On July 13, the FBI released a statement indicating they were “on the scene” in Butler, Pennsylvania and working with the Secret Service to investigate the shooting. An updated statement from the Bureau released on the same day referred to the shooting as an “assassination attempt” on the former Republican president. A third statement indicates the FBI identified the shooter as Crooks, a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. On July 15, the Bureau said it had gained access to Crooks’ electronic devices following searches of his residence and vehicle.
Likewise, Trump issued a statement to his TRUTH Social account following the shooting, noting that the bullet had “pierced the upper part of [his] right ear.”
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening,” he added via the same statement.
In addition, Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, reacted to the shooting in a July 13 post shared on X, noting the shooter had “fired multiple shots toward the stage” where Trump was speaking “from an elevated position outside the rally venue.” Guglielmi also confirmed the Secret Service had killed the shooter.
Furthermore, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports suggesting Trump staged the shooting. In fact, the opposite is true. On July 14, PolitiFact reported the claim was false. (RELATED: Did Trump Golf The Day After He Was Shot?)
The July 13 shooting killed one rallygoer and injured two others, according to USA Today.
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