Social Media Narratives and Conspiracy Theories Following the Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump

In the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Trump, several key observations about social media activity have emerged:

1. Comparisons and Premonitions:

   • Media outlets like Sputnik Mundo and Spanish RT draw a connection between the attempted assassination of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and the attack on former President Trump. Pro-Kremlin influencers have promoted the idea that these different attempts on the lives of leaders in democratic nations have been related to their attempts to stop NATO from “starting WW3 in Ukraine.”

   • Some comentators also connect it to the assination of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, treating these unconnected events as evidence of coordination and the basis for premonition of future attacks.

   • The speculation often includes warning that specific figures may be in danger such as Hungarian Viktor Orbán. Speculation includes that these figures all have something in common and are therefore connected. One influencer warned that “Elon Musk, Viktor Orbán, Nayib Bukele, and Javier Milei must increase their security detail.”

2. Language and Platforms:

   • This narrative is popular in multiple languages, especially Spanish, with notable mentions on platforms like Spanish RT, Sputnik Mundo, and the broader Sputnik International account in English.

   • Breitbart published a claim from Fico that “Trump’s enemies incited this assassination attempt.” This has been repeated by social media influencers. Newsmax also mentions Orbán and Trump as the people trying to stop World War III in a post that does not directly mention the attack on Trump.

   • Other languages where this is observed include German, French, Portuguese, and Italian.

3. Conspiracy Theories:

   • Connecting these events seems to be organic among conspiracy-prone individuals but has been amplified by pro-Kremlin sources.

     

     Figure 1: Russian state media outlet Sputnik shares a screenshot from American influencer Jackson Hinkle.

   • German publicationCompact Magazine and the conspiracy website AUF1 are also promoting these connections, raising questions about motives and future implications.

4. Impact and Potential Violence:

   • The portrayal of these events as connected and part of a broader attack on conservatives creates a perceived coordinated threat, which can be uniting and radicalizing.

   • Violent rhetoric has been increasing on both the far-left and the far-right in the US for the last several years. Scholars have warned recently about the “alarming” trend of dehumanizing dialogue in the US.