Survey Reveals One-Third of Democrats Believe Trump Shooting Was Staged

A new poll has revealed a startling belief among Democrats: one-third of them think the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally was staged. The Morning Consult poll found that 34% of surveyed Democratic voters believed it was either definitely or probably credible that Trump orchestrated the shooting. Only 45% dismissed the theory as implausible.

This skepticism isn’t confined to fringe conspiracy theorists. Dmitri Mehlhorn, a top advisor to prominent Democrat donor Reid Hoffman, suggested in an email that the shooting might have been staged to garner sympathy and political advantage for Trump. Mehlhorn speculated, “This is a classic Russian tactic, such as when Putin killed 300 civilians in 1999 and blamed it on terrorists to ride the backlash to winning power.”

Key Points:

• Reid Hoffman has donated $7 million to a Biden-aligned super PAC and $6 million to the anti-Trump Republican Accountability PAC this election cycle.

• MSNBC host Joy Reid and former CNN reporter John Harwood have also expressed doubts, questioning the details of Trump’s injuries and the circumstances of the shooting.

Mehlhorn's email, reportedly sent to sympathetic journalists and obtained by Semafor, highlighted the unusual nature of the incident, comparing it to tactics used by Vladimir Putin and Hamas. He urged a thorough investigation, stressing the need for certainty to maintain credibility and justice.

Additional Facts:

• Reid Hoffman’s significant financial contributions highlight the high stakes of the upcoming election.

• The Morning Consult poll underscores the deep divisions and mistrust within the political landscape.

• Historical comparisons to Putin's and Hamas' tactics add a global context to the allegations of staging.

MSNBC’s Joy Reid voiced her skepticism on social media, raising questions about the lack of medical reports and the details of Trump’s injury. Similarly, John Harwood doubted the nature of Trump’s wounds, suggesting they were inconsistent with typical AR-15 injuries.

This wave of speculation among high-profile figures and a significant portion of Democratic voters indicates a profound distrust not just of Trump, but of the entire political narrative surrounding the assassination attempt. As we approach the 2024 elections, such doubts could influence public perception and voter behavior.

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