A new conspiracy theory circulating among left-wingers on TikTok claims the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump was actually a major Trump fan.
There’s no evidence to back up the theory, of course, save for some specious inferences from prominent online clout chasers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) found no clear political motivation yet behind Thomas Matthew Crooks’ actions on Saturday, where he killed one rally attendee, left two critically injured, and grazed Trump’s ear in the shooting.
According to a Fox News reporter, authorities briefed senators Wednesday, and said investigators found no evidence of a particular ideology. They reportedly also said that nobody in interviews said Crooks discussed politics.
The New York Times separately reported that the FBI informed Congress that Crooks searched for both Trump and President Joe Biden, as well as a number of other high-profile figures and celebrities.
According to the Associated Press, Crooks registered as a Republican but also gave $15 to a progressive political action committee the day Biden took office. The family, however, also displayed MAGA yard signs—and the Trump campaign reportedly specifically targeted Crooks’ parents as swing voters who would respond favorably to pro-gun messaging.
One former classmate recalled that Crooks showed a general disdain for both parties but at one point said it was “a little stupid” that the classmate supported Trump since he is Hispanic.
But despite the lack of a clear motive—and zero evidence suggesting Crooks was a major fan of Trump—some left-wingers online think the assassination attempt mirrored the murders of singers Selena and Christina Grimmie, two celebrities killed by deranged fans.
In response to a viral TikTok promoting the theory, one user commented: “my thought was- what if he loved him so much and at some point he felt trump slighted him in some way. the idol was so far up there and when he realized trump did not know him it just sent him over.”
And the top comment under the video, liked more than 2,800 times, simply quotes Eminem’s “Stan,” a song about an obsessed fan who kills himself and his brother after Slim Shady doesn’t respond to his letters.
“You gotta call me, man, I’ll be the biggest fan you’ll ever lose Sincerely yours, Stan—P.S. We should be together too…..” the commenter wrote.
“I think he wanted to help him by making him a martyr?” another TikToker mused, adding that she thinks “the resulting martyrdom is the biggest boost to his campaign.”
“That theory makes perfect sense to me,” concurred someone else. “It’s like the guy who shot John Lennon, became infamous and attached to John‘s name forever.”
It’s not just TikTok where the theory has circulated.
On X, some users separately endorsed the theory on their own.
“‘A Trump supporter wouldn’t try to kill him’ is such a stupid statement,” wrote one person. “Look at Selena, John Lennon, Christina Grimmie, Rebecca Schaeffer – all killed by people who claimed to be fans of them. It’s sick but it’s true. the shooter being a Trump supporter makes a lot of sense.”
Echoed someone else: “In all seriousness though, my theory is Crooks is a fan of Trump and some new developments about him made the kid feel ‘betrayed’ by or angered at a person he idolized and he lost it. A la John Lennon’s or Selena’s shooters.”
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