Following the shooting incident during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, a number of conspiracy theories have begun circulating on social media claiming that the event may have been staged.
One of the elements being used to fuel these claims is a behind-the-scenes photo of Pete Hegseth, taken and published by Reuters, in which the Pentagon chief is seen smiling shortly after the incident. According to witnesses, while some cabinet members, such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, appeared shocked, Hegseth is seen smiling in the photo, which has been interpreted by netizens as a “suspicious” detail.
The conspiracy theories have been reinforced by a reaction from Dana White, the head of the mixed martial arts organization and a friend of Donald Trump. Leaving the hotel where the event was held, he told the media:
"It was incredibly fantastic. I enjoyed every minute of it. It was a crazy and unique experience," adding that he had not followed the Secret Service's orders to take shelter.
At the same time, other users have also brought to attention a statement by White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt, who before the event had said that "there will be some shots before the correspondents' dinner." In context, the word "shots" referred to alcoholic beverages, but after the incident, some users on the networks have interpreted it as a "warning" about the shooting.
So far, there is no evidence to support the claims that the event was staged, but the combination of these elements – Hegseth's photo, White's statements, and Leavitt's sentence – has caused the so-called "staged" theory to spread rapidly on social media.
