Survey shows 1 in 3 Democrats think the WCHA shooting was staged, and John Fetterman is shaming his own party for it

Senator John Fetterman is calling out his own party following the release of a new survey that reveals a significant portion of Democrats believe the recent White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting was a staged event. The Pennsylvania senator took to X to express his frustration, urging his fellow Democrats to move past what he described as a tin foil hat mentality, The Hill reported.

“Assassinations + political violence are real. My party can’t be the tin foil hat brigade,” Fetterman wrote in his post. He also provided a firsthand account of the event to drive his point home, adding, “I was there a table away and I promise you, this was not staged.”

The data that sparked his reaction comes from a study commissioned by NewsGuard and conducted by YouGov. The poll, which surveyed 1,000 Americans aged 18 and older between April 28 and May 4, found that 34 percent of Democrats believe the April 2026 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was staged. In contrast, only 13 percent of Republicans held that same belief. When looking at the broader picture, 30 percent of all respondents across the board said they believed at least one of the assassination attempts on President Trump was staged.

As the legal proceedings against the alleged shooter continue, the debate over how these events are perceived by the public will likely remain a contentious issue

The numbers were so unexpected that NewsGuard actually asked YouGov to go back and recheck the data to ensure accuracy. After a review, the findings were confirmed. The survey results paint a picture of a country deeply divided by conspiracy theories, with partisan affiliation serving as a major indicator of what people choose to believe.

For instance, when looking at the July 2024 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, the divide was even wider. In that instance, 42 percent of Democrats called the event staged, compared to just seven percent of Republicans. That represents a 35-point spread, which is the largest partisan gap identified in the entire survey.

It is worth noting that there is no evidence to support the theory that any of these events were staged. Authorities have consistently stated that the individuals involved in each of these incidents acted alone and had no known connections to the Trump administration. Despite this, the narrative has persisted for nearly two years.

Since the first incident in Pennsylvania, social media has been a hotbed for these theories. Shortly after that event, users were spreading claims about blood pills and tipped-off photographers. The same pattern emerged following the September 2024 incident at the Trump International Golf Club and again after the most recent shooting in April 2026.

Age also seems to play a role in how these theories are received. The survey found that younger respondents, specifically those between 18 and 29, were more likely to believe the incidents were staged compared to those 65 and older. This trend was most pronounced regarding the Washington event, where 32 percent of younger respondents labeled it as staged, while only 15 percent of older respondents did the same.

The atmosphere surrounding these events has been incredibly tense. The recent shooting at the dinner follows a string of other violent occurrences, including the fatal shooting of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortmann, the public assassination of Charlie Kirk, and an attempted arson at the Philadelphia governor’s mansion where Governor Josh Shapiro resides. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have been calling for a reduction in partisan rhetoric, even as they trade blame for the rise in national violence.

President Trump has maintained his own perspective on these events, asserting that the attempts on his life are a direct result of the consequential decisions made during his presidency. Meanwhile, the legal process is moving forward. On Tuesday, Cole Allen, who is the alleged gunman in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, entered a plea of not guilty to four federal charges. Those charges include the attempt to assassinate President Trump.

For someone like Fetterman, the goal is clearly to steer the conversation back to the reality of political violence, rather than letting conspiracy theories take root within his own party.