In July 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt while speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired eight shots from an AR-15-style rifle, fatally striking a spectator and critically wounding two others. Trump sustained only a minor ear injury before Crooks was killed by the Secret Service’s Counter Sniper Team.

Since the incident, conspiracy theories have circulated online, with some claiming the event was staged due to what they see as minimal visible damage to Trump’s ear and the unusual nature of his response. Instead of ducking for cover after being grazed, Trump famously turned toward the direction of the shots and raised his fist in a defiant gesture—behavior many found suspicious or staged.

However, counter-terrorism and security expert Will Geddes explained that such reactions can vary widely due to adrenaline and individual psychology. “Everyone behaves differently when shot at,” he said, noting the body’s “fight or flight” response can lead some to react aggressively or symbolically rather than defensively. He emphasized that Trump’s reaction was not necessarily evidence of fabrication, especially considering the relatively minor injury.

Geddes did, however, criticize the Secret Service’s handling of the situation, suggesting that a more experienced protection team would have immediately taken Trump down and moved him away from danger. He attributed this oversight to incompetence rather than conspiracy, concluding that while Trump’s response may have seemed theatrical, it is not unheard of in high-adrenaline survival moments.