Joe Rogan doubled down on Trump assassination conspiracy theory before WHCD shooting
Trump speaks after the White House Correspondents Dinner incident (Image: Getty)Gunfire erupted outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, forcing Secret Service agents to rush President Donald Trump and others from the room at the Washington Hilton.The suspect, identified as 31-year-old California resident Cole Allen, exchanged gunfire with law enforcement as he advanced toward the venue in the latest shooting incident in Trump's orbit.This followed an apparent attempt on Trump's life during the 2024 presidential campaign, an incident that caused podcast host and UFC analyst Joe Rogan, who had previously joked about living "in the Matrix" following the assassination attempt on Trump, to remind his listeners that "conspiracies are real" as he delved deeper into the incident. It comes after Trump showed his true colors with his immediate reaction to the Correspondents Dinner shooting.Rogan, who had turned down Trump multiple times when the former president sought to appear on his podcast, expressed disbelief at the level of incompetence displayed by the Secret Service that resulted in Trump being shot in the ear. He doubled down on his initial conspiracy theory, suggesting there could be more to the story than what has been made public.Trump was shot during a rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooter was identified as 20 year old Thomas Matthew Crooks. The FBI launched an investigation into Crooks and the events of that day, while the Secret Service announced it would conduct an internal review.Rogan had a conspiracy theory over Trump's 2024 assassination attempt (Image: JRE/Getty)The incident sparked numerous conspiracy theories, and Rogan insisted on his "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast that the official account doesn't quite add up."The more you read about it, the more you're, like, 'What is going on?'" Rogan said to comedian Sam Morril, a guest on the show."They knew that there was a suspicious person 10 minutes before Trump went on stage; they still let him go on stage. They saw him on the ------- roof and they didn't engage. They saw him on the roof with a rifle. They wouldn't put Secret Service agents on the roof because they said there was a slope to the roof, and it would be dangerous."Morril then claimed: "It's more dangerous if the ex-president gets shot, which he did." Rogan responded by saying: "Dude, it's so crazy, and the fact that they had such poor security guarding him. Like, they did such a terrible job."Trump was the subject of an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania (Image: Getty)Rogan was quick to add a disclaimer, making clear he wasn't pushing an alternative narrative, but reminded his audience that he doesn't always take the government's version of events at face value."I'm not accusing anybody of anything — just want to be real clear — but they have organized assassinations before," Rogan stated. "And when they organize assassinations, it looks just like that."And when they organize assassinations, one of the things they like to do is have some ------- loser kill the president and then they kill the ------- loser, and that's a wrap. This kid kind of, like, stops all the leads."Rogan went on to question why Crooks had not been intercepted by authorities, even raising the possibility that he may have been recruited. "If you're Secret Service, you see someone with a range finder walking 150 yards from where the president is, you tackle that ------- guy. You don't let that guy get on a ladder," Rogan said. "If I was some shadowy intelligence agency that did these, you know, undercover operations that are a little sketchy, I'd find kids like [the shooter]. That's your moneymaker. That's how you do it. If you've got a plan and you want to do something, you get some guy that's basically got nothing going on in life and then you know you mentor him, become friends with him."Maybe that guy's dad is an alcoholic who beats [him]. You know, maybe his mom is a ------- junkie. Who knows? Maybe his life is terrible, and you can provide mentorship and you can provide, you know, just camaraderie. Something [to make the potential shooter say], 'Wow, I wish I was a secret agent.' And then you tell this guy, you tell this kid, 'Hey, you could help America. We can work you into the program. You could be one of us.'"The discussion between Rogan and Morril shifted to another notorious presidential assassination - the 1963 shooting death of John F. Kennedy in Dallas. The Kennedy assassination remains among the most debated conspiracy topics in American history, with Rogan expressing his skepticism about the official account."Listen, conspiracies are real," Rogan stated. "I mean, whatever the ---- happened in Dallas, Texas, in 1963, it's not what they tell you. That's one thing; 100 percent you're going to be sure. There is no objective journalism with no slant."Unlike the July 2024 event, the accused shooter in Saturday's incident was taken into custody at the scene.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and other law enforcement officials said they believe Trump was Allen's intended target. Allen traveled from California to Chicago and then to Washington, D.C. by train before checking in as a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the dinner was taking place."It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president," Blance told NBC News.The president and first lady remained unharmed during the incident. A Secret Service agent was shot in the chest but was saved by his bulletproof vest.When asked about being the possible target of another assassination attempt, Trump told Fox News, "It is what it is, you know? We had a great group of people there last night."
