Nearly 25% of Americans Suspect White House Correspondents’ Dinner Attack Was a Hoax

Almost one in four Americans are convinced the chaos at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last month was nothing more than a theatrical stunt, according to a fresh survey.

Gunfire erupted at the Washington Hilton on April 25 as a would-be assailant attempted to breach the venue, but the Secret Service swooped in, preventing any harm to President Donald Trump, his cabinet, or the high-profile guests at this glitzy media affair.

Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old computer programmer from Torrance, California, now faces serious charges after being indicted by a federal grand jury in D.C. He’s been slapped with four felonies, including attempted assassination of the president, and he entered a not guilty plea during his court appearance on Monday.

A YouGov poll released by NewsGuard shows that 24% of Americans suspect the whole incident was orchestrated to drum up sympathy for Trump as his approval ratings take a nosedive. Meanwhile, 45% believe it was a genuine threat, and 32% are left scratching their heads in uncertainty. Historically, some assassination attempts on presidents have led to a temporary boost in their polling numbers.

Democrats are particularly skeptical, with 33%—or one in three—thinking the alleged assassination attempt was fabricated. In contrast, only one in eight Republicans share that sentiment.

Young adults aged 19 to 29 are especially prone to conspiracy theories about the event, with many expressing doubts about the official narrative, according to the survey.

Similar skepticism surrounded another attack on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, back in July 2024, when sniper Thomas Crooks’ bullet grazed the then-Republican presidential candidate's ear. Again, 24% believed that incident was staged, while 47% trusted the official story and 29% were unsure.

When it comes to Ryan Routh’s attempted attack on Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024—where security spotted the barrel of Routh’s rifle peeking from the bushes—public opinion was murkier. Sixteen percent thought that incident was staged, while 48% deemed it real and 36% were uncertain.

Overall, 21% of Democrats believed all three incidents were fabricated, compared to just 11% of independents and a mere 3% of conservatives.

“It’s very striking,” remarked NewsGuard editor Sofia Rubinson. “People across the political spectrum are increasingly distrustful of both this administration and the media.”

White House spokesman Davis Ingle dismissed these claims outright, stating: “Anyone who thinks President Trump staged his own assassination attempts is a complete moron.”

The hashtag “staged” trended on social media following the dinner attack, even though no evidence has surfaced to suggest Allen’s actions were part of a larger conspiracy.