Washington Examiner columnist Salena Zito harshly condemned conspiracy theories surrounding President Donald Trump’s assassination attempt as “crude” and “vulgar” on Monday.

Several accounts on X recently questioned the validity of Trump’s first assassination attempt in July 2024, including the initial reaction of the rally audience behind the then-presidential candidate. Zito said these rumors are “cut and paste” by people online, and the speculation within these statements “penetrates into the psyche.”