Trumpers love conspiracy theories, so here’s one: He set it up himself.

Consider: The first attempt got the least publicity of any presidential assassination attempt in history, thanks to Joe Biden’s departure. He was never shot at—nor close to any danger (kind of like Vietnam). Now, he’ll get stepped-up security.

Call it WTFAnon. Some questions:

• Timing: Both assassination attempts occurred right when Trump’s legal and political troubles were intensifying. The second, in particular, came just as attention was shifting to his struggles in new Midwest polls.
• Security Failures: The fact that the same security lapses occurred twice—at his Pennsylvania rally and at his Florida golf course—despite Secret Service warnings after the first incident, seems more like a narrative device than a genuine oversight.
• The Shooter’s Profile: Routh, a man with a history of political flip-flopping and bizarre behavior, fits the bill for a patsy. His social media rants and support for both Ukraine and Trump’s opponents make for the perfect, confusing villain, allowing Trump to play the victim without credible opposition.

Whether it’s true is besides the point. America has always had a flair for conspiracies. Whether it’s faked moon landings, secret Illuminati cabals, or 9/11 inside-job theories, the allure of hidden truths runs deep in the national psyche.

So, what makes Trump’s assassination attempt any different? It plays into the same narrative—an omnipresent shadow enemy out to thwart the populist hero, reinforcing the idea that the powerful will stop at nothing to silence him.

In this age of disinformation and viral narratives, it’s no surprise these stories catch fire. When the facts don’t add up, or when too many coincidences pile on, people naturally look for alternative explanations.

The second attempt, particularly with its bizarre shooter and suspicious timing, leaves plenty of room for speculation. And in a world where every event is immediately spun into a meme or a theory, this could be just the latest plot twist in the reality show of American politics.

It’s the kind of tale that makes for perfect talk radio fodder—just enough paranoia to stir up the base, but so far-fetched that mainstream outlets will ignore it, deepening the belief in a cover-up. Whether it’s true or not, it fits too neatly into the story Trump has been telling his followers for years: they’re out to get him, and by extension, them.

So, was the second attempt on Trump’s life real, or was it just another chapter in America’s obsession with seeing conspiracy where there’s chaos?

Like all good theories, it doesn’t really matter—the point is it keeps the story going.