The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has ignited a flurry of conspiracy theories and speculations. Among the more outlandish theories are claims that the creators of “The Boys” orchestrated the shooting and that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un planned the assassination.
Viral post claims Secret Service involvement
One particularly viral post on X (formerly known as Twitter) claims to be written by a Secret Service agent named Jonathan Willis. This post, likely a fabrication, is just one of many wild rumors circulating about the incident. Initially posted on 4chan, an anonymous bulletin board platform, the message alleges that Willis was one of the officers present at the rally during the shooting.
Allegations of inaction and defiance
The purported post from Willis reads:
“My name is Jonathan Willis. I’m the officer in the famous photo of the two snipers on the roof at Trump’s rally. I came here to inform the public that I had the assassin in my sights for at least 3 minutes, but the head of the Secret Service refused to give the order to take out the perp.
100% the top brass prevented me from killing the assassin before he took the shots at President Trump.” Willis allegedly continues, “I didn’t follow the orders though, as soon as the shooter opened on Trump, I returned fire despite strict orders to not engage. I had eyes on the shooter for three minutes watching him fiddle with his rifle and adjust the scope, it was obvious he was a shooter, yet I wasn’t allowed to engage.”
Shooter identified by FBI
The FBI has identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The investigation is ongoing. According to the alleged post, Willis claims, “After I killed the shooter I was arrested, questioned by the FBI, and just released an hour ago. Already lost my job for not following orders, but I’m glad I took the shots anyway.”
Despite these claims, many netizens remain skeptical. On 4chan, users demanded proof from the alleged Willis, asking him to post pictures of his passport and badge.
One user wrote, “You need to post some proof before they van you. We’ll handle the rest fren.” Another sarcastically noted, “Nice try, but that cop’s name is Wonathan Jillis.”
On X, users echoed these sentiments. One user questioned, “Is there any proof to this? This appears to be just a fabricated post on 4chan. Why would an SS agent even post on 4chan?”
Ongoing investigation
As the investigation continues, authorities have yet to confirm or deny the legitimacy of the viral post. Meanwhile, the incident remains a hot topic of discussion across social media platforms, with various conspiracy theories and unverified claims adding to the confusion and speculation surrounding the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.