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Andrea Austria / Media Matters

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Right-wing media resort to unhinged conspiracy theories after Biden announces he will not seek reelection

Pro-Trump pundits and social media personalities suggest Biden’s decision was connected to the assassination attempt on Trump

Written by Zachary Pleat

Published

In reaction to President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will no longer seek reelection in the 2024 race and endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, some of former president and current Republican nominee Donald Trump’s supporters posted unhinged conspiracy theories suggesting Biden’s decision was connected to the July 13 failed attempt on Trump’s life.

    • The Federalist CEO and co-founder Sean Davis: “Biden didn’t drop out of the race until after the attempts to imprison and assassinate Donald Trump failed. Do you think that is coincidence?” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • TheBlaze’s Jason Whitlock: “Ree Tardy Oswald’s missed shot cost Biden the presidency. The Hail Mary failed.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • Trump ally Laura Loomer: “Now you all see why they tried to assassinate Donald Trump. This was all planned.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24; Media Matters, 2/1/24]
    • Loomer also claimed, “The only reason @JoeBiden is dropping out today is because his administration plotted an assassination of Donald Trump and missed.” Loomer continued: “It’s a lot easier to drop out over ‘peer pressure’ and an illness than to be forced to resign once the American people learn all about how the Biden admin plotted to put a bullet in Donald Trump’s head. This is why he dropped out the day before the Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle was supposed to testify tomorrow in front of Congress. Now the media will be distracted. The cover up of the Biden admin’s and Deep State’s plot to assassinate Donald Trump is in full swing now. We can’t let them get away with this.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • Loomer also posted: “I said @JoeBiden would get diagnosed with an illness and then drop out right before @SecretService Director Kim Cheatle was set to testify before Congress about the inside job plot to assassinate President Trump.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • Pro-Trump social media personality Catturd: “Joe dropped out because Democrats were desperate to change the Trump surging news cycle and the truth coming out about the obvious inside job assassination attempt.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • Right-wing commentator Bill Mitchell, who has repeatedly pushed conspiracy theories, posted, “Biden was waiting to see if the Trump assassination succeeded. When it failed, he was done.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24; Media Matters, 6/27/24]
    • Human Events senior editor Jack Posobiec: “And just like that, they got you to stop taking about the failed Trump assassination attempt.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • QAnon-linked commentator Tracy “Beanz” Diaz: “Look, they knew they weren’t going to be able to convince enough people that 87m people voted for Biden this go round. Then, last Saturday wasn’t successful, because God, and a lot of their plan went kapooey!.” Diaz continued: “Even if the attempt to take Trump’s life WASN’T part of the ‘deep state’ playbook, it was certainly a wrench into the already laid plans.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24; Media Matters, 3/6/23]
    • Right-wing legal activist Paul Ingrassia: “The Deep State’s agenda to stop Trump: 1. Beat him in the polls = failed. 2. Convict and jail him = failed. 3. Assassinate him = failed. 4. Replace Biden = about to fail. Crazy times we’re living in. There’s no stopping President Trump!” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]