Trump rejects conspiracy theories after WHCD shooting: ‘More sick than they are con people’

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump, during an interview with CBS’ Norah O’Donnell, addressed the wave of online conspiracy theories surrounding the recent attack at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

The president firmly rejected claims that the incident was "staged," labeling those who spread such rumors as "sick."

Trump rejects WHCD attack conspiracy theories

When O’Donnell raised the issue of "conspiracy theories out there, on the left and the right, that the event was staged or that it didn't happen," the president responded with immediate disbelief.

He questioned the logic of those doubting the reality of the violence, asking, "What, last night didn't happen?"

To illustrate how dangerous these false narratives can be, he compared denial of the dinner attack to other historical denials, stating, "October 7th didn't happen, and World War II didn't happen, and the Holocaust didn't happen. And many things didn't happen."

The president suggested that people fueling these narratives are driven by a mix of mental instability and a desire to deceive the public.

"I think they're more sick than they are con people, but there's a lot of con in it, too," he remarked during the exchange.

While acknowledging the speed of the internet, he noted that claims about the dinner attack surfaced unusually quickly. "I haven't heard that last night didn't happen," he said, adding that "usually, they wait about two or three months to start saying that."  

Shooter manifesto fuels Trump interview clash

The interview became heated when O’Donnell brought up the shooter’s manifesto. She quoted the gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, who called officials "targets" and claimed he would not let a "traitor" coat his hands with crimes.

Trump fired back at O’Donnell for reading the words of a "sick person," calling her and her team "horrible people."

He made it clear that he has nothing to do with the shooter's claims, saying, "I got associated with all, stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated." 

He told O’Donnell she should be "ashamed" of herself for using the shooter's notes against him, emphasizing that he is nothing like what the manifesto described. 

Trump blasts host while backing security

As O’Donnell tried to justify her questions, Trump called her "disgraceful" and a "disgrace" for reading those claims on '60 Minutes.'

He rejected her framing of the situation and instead praised the security teams who handled the crisis.

While the shooter’s manifesto mocked the security as "incompetent," Trump pointed out that the suspect failed.

"He got caught pretty easily. So I'd say he was pretty incompetent too," Trump remarked. He stood firmly behind the agents on the scene, stating, "Those guys did a good job last night. They did a really good job."