Joe Rogan Blames TikTok for Conspiracy Theories on Trump Assassination Attempts

Podcaster Joe Rogan blamed TikTok and social media culture for widespread conspiracy thinking on Wednesday. He made the comments during "The Joe Rogan Experience" after discussing survey data that showed many Americans believe at least one assassination attempt against President Donald Trump was staged.

"This is TikTok. It’s f---ing ruined," Rogan said while reacting to the findings. "Rotting their f---ing brains out from inside their heads."

"Meanwhile, you go on Chinese TikTok, it’s all like traditional dance and martial arts, science projects," Rogan added. "It shuts down for kids after 10 p.m."

Rogan's guest, comedian Brendan Schaub, responded, "And that’s the problem."

The Washington Post reported that roughly one in three Democratic respondents believed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting was staged, compared with about one in eight Republicans. The data came from a survey published Monday by NewsGuard, a company that rates the reliability of online news outlets. Respondents ages 18 to 29 were more likely than older people to think the incident was staged.

Rogan and Schaub discussed conspiracy theories around multiple assassination attempts on Trump, including the July 2024 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.

"The people that thought that the Butler, Pennsylvania one was staged don't know anything about guns," Rogan said. "I don’t know anybody who knows anything about guns that thinks that the president would let some guy nick his ear with a bullet."

Rogan pointed to the death of firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the Butler rally while attending the event.

"That guy got shot by a bullet that was intended for Trump," Rogan said. "And then there’s a photo of a bullet whizzing by his face. Anybody that thinks that that staged is out of their f---ing mind."

The Post noted that 24 percent of respondents said they believed the Butler attempt was staged. Forty-two percent of Democratic respondents thought so, compared with 7 percent of Republicans.

The podcasters also referenced the assassination attempt linked to the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Schaub questioned why anyone would believe an individual would destroy his own life for a fake attack.

"They think that’s fake," Schaub said. "It’s like, hold on. So, you think this guy, who’s a teacher, educated, clearly kind of had his s--- together, threw away his life?"

Rogan and Schaub discussed Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman in the Butler attempt.

"That one was weird as f---," Rogan said. "That guy’s house was professionally scrubbed. He didn’t even have silverware there. He had no online activity. He had no social media."