Social media platforms flooded with unsubstantiated claims following Trump rally incident

These claims built on Mr. Trump’s own assertions that the “deep state,” a supposed cabal within the government, was attempting to prevent him from returning to office. These unverified claims surfaced on platforms including Gab, Truth Social, Parler, X, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram, as reported by The New York Times.

“We are about to see a lot of disinformation spreading about who is behind the shooting, who executed it, and the events that led up to this moment,” Roberta Braga, founder of the Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas, wrote on X. “Watch for emotional language.”

RE: Trump rally – We are about to see a lot of disinformation spreading about who is behind the shooting, who executed it, and the events that led up to this moment. Watch for emotional language. Folks will try to glorify Trump and what just happened. Use care in resharing.

— Roberta Braga (@RobertaSBraga) July 13, 2024

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Law enforcement officials will need time to investigate what happened at the rally. Video from the event appears to show Mr. Trump dropping to the stage and bleeding from his ear before being escorted away by Secret Service agents.

Some social media accounts claimed, without evidence, that a gunman with ties to the ‘deep state’ had opened fire on Mr. Trump. These accounts also accused government agencies such as the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control of targeting Mr. Trump, again without providing proof.

Representative Mike Collins, a Republican from Georgia, quickly accused President Biden of ordering the attack on Mr. Trump’s rally, writing on X, “Joe Biden sent the orders.” Mr. Collins did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Other social media posts suggested that the shooter was a member of the far-left Antifa group or was acting on behalf of transgender individuals, but none of these posts provided evidence to support their theories.