The recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, who is currently running for reelection, has sparked a variety of false claims and conspiracy theories. Authorities are investigating the background and motive of the 20-year-old shooter, as well as the source of the AR-style rifle he used and the security measures in place at the venue that failed to prevent the shooting.
One false claim circulating online suggests that a law enforcement sniper at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was instructed not to shoot the suspect. However, this assertion is untrue. Snipers took down the suspected shooter immediately after he opened fire on the former president. The alleged sniper named Jonathan Willis, who claimed to have been present at the rally, does not exist in the records of the Secret Service or the Butler Police Department.
Another distorted claim suggests that Trump was shot in the chest and saved by a bulletproof vest, based on a photo showing what appears to be a hole in Trump’s suit jacket. In reality, the photo captures a fold in the jacket of a Secret Service agent shielding Trump. No bullet hole can be seen in Trump’s jacket in images taken before or after the incident.
There is also a misleading claim that a photo of Secret Service agents smiling around Trump after the shooting indicates a staged event. However, the original image from the Associated Press shows the agents with neutral expressions, not smiling as portrayed in the edited version spread on social media platforms.
Authorities have labeled the shooting as an attempted assassination, and investigations are ongoing to determine the shooter’s motives. The Secret Service has not disclosed details regarding the specific injuries sustained by Trump or whether he was wearing a bulletproof vest. Trump’s campaign has not commented on the incident as well.
