A recent attempt on former US President Donald Trump has sparked controversy on social media, with ultra-right accounts suggesting that the incident was part of a CIA secret program involving zombified killers. The CIA, however, has firmly denied these claims.
The incident took place on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, where 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crook opened fire on Trump during a rally. Investigations have revealed that Crook acted alone. Despite this, rumors circulating on social media allege that Crook was trained by the CIA as part of the Mkultra program, supposedly aimed at eliminating Trump.
Mkultra, a real program first exposed in the 1970s, involved experiments on manipulating consciousness through the use of psychotropic substances and violence. While the program did exist, the notion of creating externally controlled killers is often exaggerated. In recent times, Mkultra has become a topic of interest among conspiracy theorists, resurfacing after the attempted attack on Trump.
Some social media users, including accounts like real Global News and @mjtruthutra, have suggested that Crook may have been a zombie created by the CIA. In response, the CIA issued a rare public statement categorically denying these allegations.
“These claims are completely false, absurd, and damaging,” stated a CIA representative. He pointed out that the Mkultra program was terminated over 40 years ago, and detailed information about it can be found on the official CIA website.
This public rebuttal highlights a new approach by the agency to tackle conspiracy theories circulating on the internet. Such theories are particularly popular among Trump supporters, reflecting the former president’s affinity for endorsing conspiracy ideas.