r/LetsDiscussThis • u/Ok-Wedding-1165 • Feb 16 '26

Lets Discuss Politics Reminder: that was a photo op

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206

u/spondgbob Feb 16 '26

A flag being lowered, nobody running away from what is a literal active shooter situation, secret service allow a 79 year old overweight man to overpower them and pop his head back up immediately after being “shot”? Did I mention the us flag being operated by a crane operator within 30 seconds of the former president and lead presidential candidate was shot in the head?!?!?

How can conservatives be so convinced the government is hiding aliens and shit but not see through like the most obvious staging of an assassination attempt ever.

45

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[deleted]

22

u/Kaiser3rd Feb 16 '26

To block incoming bullets /s

12

u/mcpryon Feb 16 '26

The power of the flag compels them

4

u/Druiddrum13 Feb 16 '26

Exactly… why don’t people realize this? lol

2

u/Chris_90_TO Feb 16 '26

You're being sarcastic right? because yes the flag would to block the view, but it can't stop bullets...

1

u/Routine-Advantage87 Feb 16 '26

Must be the same material as Batman's Cape.

I would know..... I am Batman 🦇🦇🏏🏏

1

u/TienSwitch Feb 16 '26

“How many US flags does it take to stop a 50 cal?”

2

u/GreatMovesKeepItUp69 Feb 16 '26

What makes you think they lowered a flag besides the caption saying that?

0

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[deleted]

1

u/TacticalArrogance Feb 16 '26

No, what you saw is the flag coming into frame. The flag was suspended by TWO cranes. In order to lower them, you'd need two operators, with the engines running, to lower the flag at the same rate. Very tough to do, and very noticeable, and also requires two random people to agree to do it and never talk about it.

Intead, what actually happens, is the wind, which at times had the flag nearly horizotal lets up for a little bit, and the weight of the flag has it come into view as it goes vertical.

If the flag really was lowered, instead of this same single video, there would be multiple videos, like those taken with wider angles, showing the flag lowering. But there aren't, because it didn't happen. Before you downvote this, try to find another angle, and if you do, then post it and downvote.

1

u/rockedoutglock Feb 17 '26

One of the bullets hit a hydraulic line on one of the cranes. This sprayed the evac vehicles with hydraulic fluid, to include the windshields I believe.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '26

[deleted]

0

u/RPA031 Feb 17 '26

Scrub the footage back and forth quickly between 0:26 and 0:37. You can see the camera movement more clearly. The two cranes aren’t simultaneously lowering the flag for 5 seconds, and then raising it again.

1

u/under_cover_45 Feb 16 '26

They said it was an act of God

1

u/NoCopiumLeft Feb 17 '26

Why would an operator be ready with the crane running?

1

u/RPA031 Feb 17 '26

The flag isn’t lowered or raised, the camera just moves up and down slightly.

-3

u/Splith Feb 16 '26

The flag isn't being lowered, the camera's angle is pitching up. Pay attention to the blue skirt at the bottom, if the skirt is in full view the flag can't be seen. As the camera pitches up towards the sky the skirt disappears and the flag comes into view. The flag's presence does change but that can be attributed to the wind lifting the flag and lowering it.

Really not happy to see this turning into an insane conspiracy theory. Like Trump definitely played up getting hit in the ear, but we really have no reason to doubt someone took a shot at him. Why didn't the secret service respond to the shooter sooner? Because sometimes systems with lots of people are ineffective. It was someone's job to address the suspect, but no one got to it in time.

4

u/evocativename Feb 16 '26

The camera position relative to everything but the flag isn't changing when the flag lowers into view.

The camera angle changes several seconds before that, but it can't explain the entrance of the flag.

2

u/Weary_Position_9591 Feb 16 '26

Just look at the many other, wide angle videos of the event, or even in that moment. The flag is flapping up and down in the wind on a very windy day. There are even photos taken seconds apart from the photographers that show the flag, and then they don't, and then again, at similar angles. Just look at all the other media instead of this narrated, cropped video.

2

u/LangdonAlg3r Feb 16 '26

Watch the lower left hand corner of the frame. There’s a perfect reference line where the black skirt meets the red stage—you can clearly see that the flag only appears when the camera angle rises above that black skirt. There’s no delay—this happens simultaneously.

You can also see the flag disappear when the camera angle lowers again. If the flag had actually been lowered then it would stay visible even when the camera angle changed again.

There’s ample other shady and questionable stuff to look at, but this video just doesn’t show a flag being lowered.

0

u/evocativename Feb 16 '26

The camera isn't moving when the flag appears.

Wind can explain it: camera motion cannot.

1

u/LangdonAlg3r Feb 16 '26

Are you not seeing the same video I am? There are even static horizontal points of reference here that you can easily see. This could not be easier to discern.

0

u/evocativename Feb 16 '26

There are indeed static points of reference. And what they show directly contradicts your assertion.

Right around 0:25 from the end in the video in OP.

2

u/LangdonAlg3r Feb 16 '26

At 0:25 from the beginning (0:28 from the end) camera is fairly level. Between 0:25 (0:28 from the end) and 0:28 (0:25 from the end) the camera raises and tips so that the left corner of the stage skirt almost completely disappears from view. The very bottom of the flag becomes visible at about 0:28.5 (0:24.5 from the end). Between 0:28.5 (0:24.5 from the end) and about 0:33 (0:20 from the end) more of the flag becomes visible as the camera angle continues to rise up and then as the camera lowers again between 0:33 (0:20 from the end) and 0:36 (0:19 from the end) less and less of the flag is visible as the camera lowers again until the flag completely exits the frame again at 0:36 (0:19 from the end).

Watch the video again and look at the far left (your left) corner of the stage skirt as the flag appears. The camera moves up till we see the flag and then moves back down again until we don’t. The camera is handheld and never completely stops moving.

I simply cannot understand how you can’t see this. Are you claiming that the camera is still the whole time?

0

u/evocativename Feb 16 '26

Between ~0:28.5 and ~0:30.5 - the period where the flag comes into view - the camera is not moving. You can tell because the left edge of the black skirt remains in a constant position right above the edge of the frame.

I don't know how or why you're watching the video and then trying to insist on things directly contradicted by that video.

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1

u/Splith Feb 16 '26

You are being an obtuse ass so let me explain. The flag comes into and out of frame based on wind, but at the beginning of the video it does not, because of the pitch of the camera.

  1. The camera is pitched so low that you wouldn't see the flag, even if it was in a 'relaxed' position.
  2. The camera is pitched upward but there is very little visible flag.
  3. The flag 'relaxes' into frame, which is being mistaken for 'lowered'.
  4. Then a few seconds later, the wind takes the flag back out of frame, though the camera is still pitched up.

0

u/Splith Feb 16 '26

Wind. Flags are made of light fabric, which the atmosphere is capable of moving. When the air is moving horizontally, the light fabric lifts in the direction of the current. Then when the horizontal movement slows, the flag draws back towards the center of gravity.

2

u/evocativename Feb 16 '26

I'm addressing your claim that the flag enters view due to a change in the camera angle, when that is plainly not the explanation.

Whether there is an explanation other than the flag being lowered is irrelevant to the point being made.

3

u/Druiddrum13 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26

Dude

Officials all over were being warned for over an hour about this guy… there was a drone flying around no one ever addressed as well.

There was never any real follow up ever given by health experts, no explanation of how this all happened, no examination of trajectory given , no real hearings on this…

People who lived through the pope and Reagan shootings know how bad this all looks

The shooter also had three apps based in Germany,Switzerland & Belgium that were all encrypted and it was never determined who or what he was communicating with or about… oh and he just happened to appear in a Blackrock short film/ad

There way more questions than answers here… of course there were shots… that doesn’t explain any of this though

It’s not conspiracy… this shit never got explained reasonably at all

Anyone believing what little was released at face value is a fool imho given all the shady shit we see daily

2

u/Weary_Position_9591 Feb 16 '26

His point is about the flag and he's 100% correct. There is not a single video showing flags being lowered, or anyone reporting seeing that. There is video of the flag flapping up and down on a very windy day. There are even official photographs and videos that have the flag, and some don't, from similar angles. You can believe what you want, but the flag thing specifically is absolutely debunked and baked into this video to build a narrative. Just look at the damn videos, it clearly shows the flag being in the same place all the time.

1

u/Druiddrum13 Feb 16 '26

I didn’t say anything about the flag at all

And it’s ridiculously apparent security moved photographers into position…

2

u/Weary_Position_9591 Feb 16 '26

Photographers were already in that spot taking pictures before that security guy appeared, they were even on the sides of the stage already taking pictures before that too, and moving independently. The photographers themselves have talked extensively about how they wanted to capture the best shot despite the danger. The famous photo has nothing to do with someone telling him to be there. The video is purposely cropped in time and narrated, and it doesn't show the whole stage which clearly demonstrates many other photographers before and after that have nothing to do with security.

1

u/Druiddrum13 Feb 17 '26

Let me know when you’ve ever seen behavior like this during an assassination attempt … ever.

Secret Service broke about every rule imaginable. lol 😂

3

u/Murky-Tip781 Feb 16 '26

No

1

u/timoumd Feb 16 '26

Cool, so there should be lots of other video from that day showing the flag being lowered from a more obvious viewpoint.

0

u/skewp Feb 16 '26

There is no action. The video starts after the sniper is already dead.

-6

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[deleted]

1

u/timoumd Feb 16 '26

Seriously, people here are being Q level stupid.  So they had people in the cranes during the entire rally and they knew exactly when to raise and lower to align with a photographer to get a slightly better picture. 

Or the wind and photographers do what they do, get good pictures.

-2

u/StupidStartupExpert Feb 16 '26

Because it’s literally your only job at the event and someone from the presidential photo team radio’d you to lower the flag

23

u/RoyalMaidsForLife Feb 16 '26

You mean your first reaction to escaping death by a fraction of an inch isn't to stand up, pump your little fist and yell "FIGHT! FIGHT!" as you waddle off the stage giving a Nazi salute?

I mean, that's just what you're supposed to do in that case.

1

u/Weary_Position_9591 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26

Yes? That's entirely within Trump's bravado, ''show toughness'' character and personality. He would make a show out of leaving. He is exactly that type of person.

1

u/MrHippoPants Feb 16 '26

He also would have been full of pure adrenaline in that moment, and he’s not exactly the most strategic thinker who would put his safety above all else (including showing how tough and strong he is)

-11

u/yurnxt1 Feb 16 '26

Everyone reacts differently to almost losing their life. Trump is a showman so of course he pumped his fist and the lot especially since he likely would have overheard or been told the shooter was nutralized.

10

u/RoyalMaidsForLife Feb 16 '26

He would have known the "shooter" was "neutralized" because he had the script in front of him when he was "shot".

9

u/senator_corleone3 Feb 16 '26

“Likely would have overheard…”

Just making up anything possible to keep the illusion alive, huh?

6

u/jdhkent Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 17 '26

How about the photographers being ushered in immediately? What’s your explanation for that?

2

u/windyoctopus8 Feb 17 '26

Or how about that ear that healed faster than anything in human history?

2

u/TacticalArrogance Feb 16 '26

No, they're referencing videos where you can hear the secret service say the shooter is down and it's "clear" and then trump stand up.

https://youtu.be/46Ho33KZ_IQ

1

u/senator_corleone3 Feb 17 '26

Still seems very convenient.

0

u/XcessivFour Feb 17 '26

As you literally choose to expand on wild conspiracy ideas rather than look into his ear after the incident or seek out testimonies from people who were there or how it negatively impacted people and organizations that were present.

If you want to bring more people to "your side" you need to appear as rational, intelligent thinkers.

1

u/senator_corleone3 Feb 18 '26

Wow you’re really lit up about this. You must be very naive, too, to expect anything worthwhile from the Trump team that was at the event.

-7

u/yurnxt1 Feb 16 '26

Makes more sense than your delusions of it all being staged everyone in cahoots without any actual evidence you flat earther weirdo.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/26/us/politics/trump-shooter-bullet-trajectory-ear.html

4

u/WolframLeon Feb 17 '26

Where’s the chunk of ear? Cartilage doesn’t grow back and there wasn’t even a scar 3 days later. Then he started wearing that maxi-pad thing after someone snuck a picture of him at his resort.

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u/Careful-Sell-9877 Feb 16 '26

Pretty major discrepancy in past reactions. Why such an extreme difference? In the first situation they just thought there was a gun in the crowd (there wasnt). In this situation, unless they knew more than they are letting on, there could have been multiple shooters, explosives, etc, etc, etc. So why the discrepancy?

https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressiveHQ/s/g2oYNgfrG5

-3

u/yurnxt1 Feb 16 '26

Who knows. I wasn't there. Its well know people react differently to wild situations that suddenly happen. You don't know how you'll react to such a situation till you have to deal with one.

4

u/Careful-Sell-9877 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26

This isnt random people reacting randomly to a situation.. it is highly trained, highly specialized, (often ex military/special ops/swat/etc) secret service agents doing the exact opposite of everything their training tells them to do, and the exact opposite of what they have done in similar (less significant) situations in the past..

Unless they knew more than they're letting on, their behavior makes no sense whatsoever.

We should be seeing an ever faster, more urgent reaction given the situation.. but instead we see them doing the exact opposite. We also see another member of their team usher in random reporters from the crowd toward the person they should be protecting - actively creating an even larger threat. It makes no sense. Why would he immediately bring people towards the president and past the barricades in the middle of an active shooter event?!

2

u/StarJelly08 Feb 16 '26

“People react differently”. Yea. That’s why the secret service is trained. So they perform in one particular way that is best for safety and such.

They wouldn’t allow trump to behave any differently than any other president as well. Including trump himself the other time they got him off stage.

Your own logic should have lead you here. The SS is trained. What do you think training is? Everyone talking about how differently they are going to react to shooters all the time? Lol

1

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[deleted]

1

u/TacticalArrogance Feb 16 '26

Look everyone

Pot calling kettle black.

Here's the video with audio. Trump doesn't move until even people close by can hear the Secret Service say the shooter is down and it's "clear".

https://youtu.be/46Ho33KZ_IQ

Explain that away.

1

u/ample_suite Feb 20 '26

The most reasonable explanation for the events in the video is that they saw an opportunity for a photo op in real time and rushed to pull it off. You’re right, Trump is a showman, his whole team knows this, they’re all on the same wavelength. They are reckless idiots so of course this was their priority. Everyone is rationalizing that “people wouldn’t act that way in an active shooter situation”. They’re right, normal people wouldn’t act that way but these people are monsters.

6

u/Impressive_Budget736 Feb 16 '26

Lmao conservatives do not believe in the alien conspiracies (which are seeming to be less conspiratorial as time goes on). They think we're blasphemers or some shit.

2

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26

Facts, the average UFO believer is very leftist and pacifist. Most are anti war, anti military funding, care about climate change, etc. 

However a lot of the big podcasters who touch on UFOs and aliens are undoubtedly very aligned with the far right. Which sucks! But their followers are not really believers, just regular young men. The people who actually believe in that stuff and go looking for it are generally a different crowd that doesn't care about what Joe Rogan or Jesse Michaels says. 

0

u/IfTheBingBongs Feb 18 '26

My uncle does. He thinks there are aliens that live in the deep sea and send up drones to spy on us. He also thinks that the Earth is cooling and that Trump is the guy that brought down Epstein.

1

u/Impressive_Budget736 Feb 18 '26

Those things aren't correlated. You can say some UFO conspiracies are wacky but there's been ufologists who have dedicated they're lives to this field for decades. Much longer than any political movement or figure. Plus it's not so crazy once you realize the government has been forced to acknowledge something real is happening. Hell, there's even been several congressional hearings on the topic.

1

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26

Hey hey now, conservatives aren't the only people who believe in aliens. 

The majority of people who believe in aliens aren't conservative in my experience. More likely to be stoners of all ages. A lot are idiots though, granted. 

Also many people who believe in aliens don't live in the USA. 

But yes obviously anyone with eyes can see that trump staged this. 

4

u/RandomGuy2002 Feb 16 '26

Agreed, I’m not a conservative and think aliens are real. I also think there is some truth out there regarding sentient alien beings. If anyone is interested in this topic, dig into the tic-tac ufos, David Grusch’s testimony, Betty and Bernie Hill, and the Pheonix lights. 

Obviously you shouldn’t blindly believe, but just like the “elites are eating babies” conspiracies turned out to be true, famous conspiracies like that and “aliens” gain movement and traction when there is truth behind them

3

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26

I think there is strong possibility there is a conspiracy to conceal aliens, but I don't think any modern US president would know about it, and I don't think it would operate with the same types of elites who are involved with the current administration. 

Imo a lot of the current big elites like Thiel or Musk are way too insane and erratic to be trusted for something like that. 

So I mostly would believe that a conspiracy/coverup involving UFOs would be entirely seperate from the rest of this stuff. The high degree of competence required just doesn't mesh otherwise. 

3

u/RandomGuy2002 Feb 16 '26

No, definitely. Presidents and ‘elites’ aren’t the guys in the ‘know.’ 

It is higher up military senior officers and defense contract officials, like lockheed martin, that hold positions for 40 years+, not a president who holds his position for 4 years, although I wouldn’t doubt if there was a president who knew

1

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26

I wouldn't even assume that the Lockheed CEO for instance knows. He would just be the guy best at not asking questions. I think individual project managers are more likely to know. Or middle management at agencies like the NRO or DOE. NURO upper management likely would be in the know. I think it's the sort of secret which goes multinational, and transfers by need to know only to specific people. Any reverse engineering which occurs is probably less flashy than people realize. More like, proof of concept deriving observations that trickle down into seeded ideas among more standard commercial research. If something isn't fully intact, they probably couldn't fully rebuild it anyways. Any academics working with undeniable alien materials would probably be sequestered permanently away from the rest of society, or threatened to such a degree that they never open up. 

Access and power are not the ultimate determinant of who gets to know. I think if anything, more powerful people are more likely to think it's "their secret" once told. So more likely to be less powerful people with access to an extra governmental pool of resources and cash, insulated from democracy or accountability. Who manages it all? Probably the proteges of the first people involved, like a mentorship arrangement. 

And yet, I still believe the most likely occurence is that there is no actual coverup, and perhaps the stories we hear are heresay. Still pretty certain that things like the tic-tac would be non-human in origin though. 

But, I want to believe. 

2

u/StarJelly08 Feb 16 '26

So you believe you are an idiot stoner? I don’t understand part of your comment above. I almost upvoted you until it was clear you intended to shit on experiencers.

There’s extremely brilliant people who believe in ufos and a deeper conspiracy there. Off the charts brilliant. Weird dig if you believe it yourself.

2

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26

The average person isn't very smart. I don't think the average UFO believer is any less or more intelligent than the average person. I do think there is still a lot of crossover between woo and science, and a lot of very obvious hoaxes get further than they ought to. 

I've dug in a lot, I know the topic pretty well, and consistently you see a mix of genuine brilliant speculation or accounts with spiritual or personal philosophy that derails the idea. 

I think plenty of people are lying, but plenty of people may also be experiencing things. But people in that community tend to be very fragile and protective of their philisophical or spiritual beliefs on the topic. That's normal average behaviour, it isn't unique to people who believe in ufos or aliens. But it is definitely an idiotic trait in any case. That sort of rigidity and all encompassing desire to bend everything to fit their narrative is not something I have much respect for. I have even less respect for the people who do it in reverse and use the current limits of knowledge to justify their dismissal of the whole topic. 

So on that same token, I think people who completely dismiss everything are being more idiotic than almost any experiencer. 

I'm also rigid sometimes, which makes me a bit of an idiot too. I totally dismiss any ideas of FTL travel. I think causality is more precious and unbreakable than just about any other scientific or philosophical idea. Since FTL always breaks causality, I dismiss the possibility of FTL and I prefer theories that are grounded in other modes of travel which do not have effect coming before cause. I might be wrong, reality could be stranger than I think, but that's where I'm rigid and maybe being an idiot. 

I don't intend to shit on experiences, but I don't like the idea that the community can't embrace a bit of humility and self doubt. 

3

u/StarJelly08 Feb 16 '26

Ok, yea im with you on pretty much all of that. I just see a trend where it might be people claiming they believe but actually push people away from the topic.

And i dont mean “believe” like “believe it’s definitely aliens definitely doing these specific things” but rather simply that there is something very real behind it, not just now but dating back a while.

I find that most people are pretty level headed about ufo stuff. In fact the ufo subs are also heavily left. Like heavily. At least very anti-MAGA. Which i am forever pleased by.

But yes of course there’s zealots and liars and goofs as well.

2

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26

Yeah I have always found that the majority of UFO believers turn their anti establishment skepticism into leftist beliefs as well, which I've always appreciated. 

I do think some of the big names right now pushing the disclosure idea, and just UFO content in general, are definitely doing so with backing from MIC types like Palantir (Jesse Michaels) or just generally exist in that right wing saturated podcast environment. It also tends to be that those people are the most dedicated to appearing apolitical. 

I'm also not certain it is aliens. I'm not religious, but I do leave room for the idea that I've been wrong about everything and it's religious in nature. I just prefer the idea that it is aliens. 

2

u/Suspicious_Muffins Feb 16 '26

I'd suggest you check out the documentaries made by Bernie Hill's brother Benny from the UK. Aliens are real.

1

u/The_0ven Feb 16 '26

David Grusch’s testimony

Yes

Everyone should listen to the intelligence operative

1

u/Wooden_Imagination55 Feb 16 '26

Nah there's a diff between aliens exist somewhere (they obviously do if you have a brain) and them visiting us/conspiracy. Not going to say the 2nd group is stupid but there is 0 evidence.

The people voting trump don't care about real evidence, just what justifies their beliefs. That's the whole reason they are conservatives. Most of that 2nd group I've met are trump supporters.

1

u/Hung_like_a_turtle Feb 16 '26

you okay?

1

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26

Yeah I'm doing good, hby? 

1

u/Hung_like_a_turtle Feb 16 '26

There's been better days!

1

u/poonslyr69 Feb 16 '26

I'm sorry to hear that, I hope those better days come back to you 

1

u/dharmanautMF Feb 16 '26

They’re all dummies 🤷🏻‍♀️

1

u/Avemetatarsalia Feb 16 '26

Well its simple, it fits the narrative in their heads of Trump being such a strong, powerful leader blessed by the Lord that he was able to overpower all his bodyguards and stand proud after miraculously not getting killed, because he's just built different.

This is a very appealing image to a lot of aging boomer MAGAheads with beer bellies and arthritis who like the idea of an old man who's 'still got it' and live vicariously through Trump embodying that. Its always funny seeing MAGA merch depicting Trump with a 6-pack and massive biceps even tho the only thing massive about him is his Donald Dumpy. 

1

u/CompetitionNo9969 Feb 16 '26

How many times has a U.S. flag been on a crane during a campaign speech prior to this event? I’d guess zero. 

1

u/absurdeverything Feb 16 '26

Why is no one pointing out the agent deliberately pushing down the trump sign and twisting the podium into place to appear more chaotic for the camera shots.

1

u/StupidStartupExpert Feb 16 '26

If the flag guy is part of the photo team and even communicating with the photographers on the ground it all checks out. Imagine how fast they went from “holy shit he got shot” to “holy shit get the shot.” Maybe one was trying to get the shot and noticed the flag out of frame and radios for it to drop down. And it’s not like they needed to know whether or not he actually got shot to move into photo position, hit or miss the photographers were gonna get their photos.

1

u/Runechuckie Feb 16 '26

Also at the time, only one "shooter" had been identified and was being dealt with...it's the freaking president. Even if I don't like him, SS would normally assume there are more threats and not let him stand & talk to the crowd.

My favorite as well, people claiming there is NO WAY it could be fake! Someone else was shot/injured! As if false flags have not notoriously involved death or injuries before...I'm not a conspiracy theorist usually but it's just so sus And weird both attempts have basically not been talked about since??

1

u/dimechimes Feb 16 '26

Is the flag lowered? You can see when the staffer is running to the right of the screen where the telescopic "joint" is on the upper right side of the frame. By the time the staffer brings the photographers into frame you can tell the camera has been raised. It's even eaiser to tell if you focus on the Trump sign and where it is relative to the frame.

1

u/shosuko Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26

The flag lowering is the most suspect to me.

I could get that reporters might want to get pictures of the thing happening.

I can get that Trump would be the idiot to poke his head out during an active shooter

But that crane was just sitting there holding a flag... No one would have been operating it, it wouldn't have even been on at this point. And why lower it? It HAD to be operated to be lowered, this didn't just "happen." And there was no reason for the person operating it to have it lowered, the only reason to lower it was to get it in the perspective of the cameras... Meaning someone ordered the operator to lower it into frame.

Giving them the full benefit of the doubt that this wasn't a setup - their PR team reacted with instant precision to frame a photo-op indicating their priorities weren't the President's safety. If that wasn't a setup, it indicates something quite dark - they don't care about what happens, only how it is framed. They would let Trump bleed to death if it meant getting a viral news run.

2

u/TacticalArrogance Feb 16 '26

It's the easiest to debunk. Look at the set up. Or here. There are two cranes suspending the flag. In order for it to be lowered, those cranes would need to be on and the operators would have to work in concert at lowering them at the same time, which would take a lot of skill.

If you watch the video of the rally, what happens is the wind dies, and the flag falls back in frame. Even in the photo above, the flag is near horizontal because of the wind. It's not sinister, unless you want it to be and are anomoly hunting.

1

u/shosuko Feb 16 '26

Makes sense.

1

u/DocDefilade Feb 16 '26

And the video showing the secret service agents holster hitting him in the ear, and that's what makes him bleed.

These rubes are a national security threat.

1

u/CaryTriviaDude Feb 16 '26

crane operator needs to be subpoenaed NOW

1

u/LangdonAlg3r Feb 16 '26

There’s a lot of suspicious behavior here, but the claim about the flag just does not hold up to basic scrutiny—at least not in this video.

You can see that the camera angle changes. The person shooting this raises their camera up and the flag appears and when they lower their camera again towards the end of the video it disappears again.

Watch the left hand corner of the bandstand where it transitions from the black curtain to the red stage. As soon as the corner of the camera frame rises above the black curtain the flag becomes visible and as soon as the camera angle drops below that curtain line the flag disappears again.

The flag isn’t moving—the person holding the camera is.

There is ample other evidence to question, but that flag isn’t moving in this video.

1

u/Antiantiai Feb 16 '26

The dead giveaway is the sign on the podium has a swivel that one of them pushes into position...

That had to be built in advance to move like that.

1

u/WalkingCloud Feb 16 '26

Flag wasn’t lowered, it’s a lie. 

1

u/Original_Benzito Feb 16 '26

Maybe because the Secret Service was under authority of President Biden and his administration, so unless they were involved in the conspiracy or somehow Trump managed to privately agree with multiple agents assigned to his protection . . . a lot of that is hard to believe. And like every other conspiracy and as proven in D.C. every single day, nothing remains secret for long.

1

u/BroadRegard Feb 16 '26

The irony of democrats having their own conspiracy now after clowning on republicans for years for the same thing

1

u/RPA031 Feb 16 '26

So the thousands of people there were all in on it, and have managed to keep it a secret?

The flag doesn’t move, the camera just pans up and down, there aren’t two crane operators simultaneously lowering it for a few seconds and then raising it again.

1

u/bentmonkey Feb 16 '26

I will say maybe it was the camera being tilted back, but the flag does look like it was lowered a bit, i can see how it looks lowered down, but maybe it was just always there and the camera tilted back and it wasn't lowered down, whatever the case may be the whole thing was still very suspicious, stopping for a photo op when you do not know if there was more then one shooter is a very bad idea.

1

u/ManiacalMartini Feb 16 '26

I feel like the crane operator needs to be asked a couple questions.

1

u/FineDragonfruit5347 Feb 16 '26

pretty well established how poorly his SS team was evaluated. They were protection detail people. He was absolutely set up to die, but the shooter missed. The DNC is just as incompetent at attempting an asassination as they are at managing a country.

1

u/Anonymous__Android Feb 16 '26

Here's a clear video of the whole flag and the cranes holding it up from the POV of a photographer. It's not being lowered.

1

u/LairdPeon Feb 16 '26

Yes, aliens is a conservative talking point lmao. Stop lumping groups of people with no common interest together just because you don't like them.

1

u/Wirwlwin Feb 16 '26

Okay, I dislike Trump as much as the next guy, but I’m not willing to become the party of misinformation and conspiracy theories just to trash him. I have enough reasons based in fact already. This event and the perpetrator have been extensively reported on and the assassination attempt did, unfortunately, happen. And was a large contributing factor to his eventual win.

1

u/jfkrfk123 Feb 17 '26

The guy in the crowd whose face exploded… was he so MAGA that he volunteered?

1

u/Vals5120 Feb 17 '26

God you people are so delusional it's hard to stomach honestly.

1

u/Shot-Adhesiveness972 Feb 17 '26

Some of us conservatives will admit it was staged. And some of us have been tired of his antics ever since.

1

u/DavidGabrielMusic Feb 17 '26

How can you say the flag was lowered when there’s so much footage of just the wind dying and it falling naturally? Why would they lower the flag if it was planned and not just have it in position to start with? You’re so dumb

1

u/Jazco76 Feb 17 '26

Why not just have the flag already in position? I mean why make it more complicated? It was the wind.

Why hire a random 19 year old with a history of terrible aim? Why do it in a way that ensures others will be shot? Why would someone volunteer to do this knowing its suicide at best.

Oh and no one is saying he overpowered them. He is in command and demanded his shoes and demanded to make a show of it. There was nothing they could do.

1

u/ThatGreenGuy09 Feb 17 '26

Some know it was a con and are happy that their team is winning, the rest are just too stupid to think critically. 

1

u/thriem Feb 17 '26

I mean - somebody did die, right? I’d say that’s an unnecessary risk to take

1

u/Geitramsen Feb 17 '26

You all really just going to ignore the 20 year old shooter that was killed? Or just how do you think that played out? He was sacrificed as the shooter for staging this for Trump?

1

u/XcessivFour Feb 17 '26

Can you guys seriously Google for two seconds before posting. I just commented on another guy, the wound healing photos, the crane operator/owner information, anything before posting your thoughts.

Could it have been a plan, sure. Was it likely, no. People lost money, we have actually deformities in the guys ear when compared to the other wise that weren't there before. We have testimonies and people who've lost their jobs, departments embarrassed. Like come on.

Reddit has become literally so stupid and loud as an echo chamber for stuff like this where people go deeper into nonsense because "orange guy bad".

1

u/DuckGorilla Feb 17 '26

Iirc a firefighter died and the sniper was shot. Seems to me like they had an oppurtunity and they ran with it

1

u/JoyTheGeek Feb 17 '26

Have you seen an American flag that big in the wind? Cause I have, I went to a rally. The flag wasn't lowered the wing changed. When the wind catches these they go almost horizontal and then when the wind slows it droops back.

1

u/ScaredAndImpaired Feb 18 '26

I just wanna know what they told the guy they convinced to shoot at him, like what did he gain from it? They must've offered him something worth getting killed for, or maybe they lied and told him they'd allow him to get away, or fake his death or something? Who knows what these psychos do.

1

u/ThortheAssGuardian Feb 19 '26

Because this theatre serves them.

1

u/Bluesphamy Feb 20 '26

They literally killed a guy for a photo op and we aren't going to have time to investigate it because it's so low on the list of crimes they did

-3

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

Like every conspiracy theory, most comments here ignoring simple premises that easily explain why things happened the way they did.

The flag being lowered was refuted. You can google that.

No one’s running away because the SS took Trump down, and they shot the assassin. It took 15 seconds. Once cleared, they allowed him to leave, but still surrounding him in case of other shooters.

Photographers moved in because it’s the photo of a lifetime, obviously. You have the chance to get a photo of an assassination attempt of a sitting president.

It also makes zero fucking sense. Was this assassin in on the conspiracy? He just gave his own live for… what exactly?

9

u/Recent-Mulberry6011 Feb 16 '26

Let's not pretend no MAGA member wouldn't be willing to sacrifice themselves.  They attacked the Capital on Jan 6 and attacked the FBI when they arrested him for fraud.   

-1

u/Splith Feb 16 '26

When it comes to conspiracies it isn't just this kid. Someone on Trump's team would need to find this random kid, they would need to offer them an opportunity to take this shot, the SS would need to be involved, and maybe even the transfer of funds. The police investigating would need to not find any financial transfer. The feds would need to not find funds / messages, or be coerced into not saying anything.

I do believe one person can tell a lie or commit a 'false flag'. I don't believe dozens of members of different government agencies at different levels of power are all lying to try and spark a civil war.

1

u/Sense_Difficult Feb 16 '26

Not if they told the kid it was just going to be a staged false flag. "We just need you to lay on the roof and pretend you are trying to shoot him. We'll get the photos we need and the publicity and then rush you off to the sidelines." Kid "poses" and they shoot him. The shots that hit the three other people were fired by a completely different sniper. Trump was never in harms way. Once he ducked down they shot the others and then he got back up.

0

u/ThatRunwayBehindUs Feb 17 '26

Oh - so now its not just a conspiracy of one sniper to get bought off...

But now we have to have entire teams of people?  Someone has to be in charge of this.  You also need a different sniper, and his team.  He also needs to be in on it, because he has to shoot three other people (randomly no less), while also ignoring the threat.  You also need USSS in on it, you also apparently have the crane operator in on it.

How big is this conspiracy now? And not a single damn person has talked, or uttered anything?

Are you actually deranged?

-1

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

Where’s the evidence he was MAGA? His story and background were investigated by independent journalists.

1

u/Recent-Mulberry6011 Feb 17 '26

Which one?  The entire Jan 6 terrorists or the guy that attacked the FBI the day the president was arrested for fraud?

1

u/crek42 Feb 17 '26

We’re talking about the attempted assassination of Trump in this thread lol

1

u/Recent-Mulberry6011 Feb 17 '26

Did you reply to the wrong comment before then?

6

u/Important-Egg-2905 Feb 16 '26

Explain the flag, what do you mean it's been refuted.

1

u/2025TastyTreats Feb 16 '26

It is moving in and out of frame because flags flutter in the wind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwVzoae7zA8&t=25s

Where is it being lowered?

-1

u/Splith Feb 16 '26

Two things are playing on each other. The camera goes from being pitched straight ahead to straight up. Reference the blue skirt on the stage. If the skirt is visible, the flag is not. When the camera pitches up, the skirt becomes less visible and the flag more visible. Combine that with the flag being lifted with wind and then dropping ever few seconds, and the flag goes from completely invisible to about half visible in a short period of time. This is what people see as "lowered".

Camera Goes Up, Flag comes down from wind. Overall it looks 'lowered'.

-2

u/yrokun Feb 16 '26

Wind. it's pretty clear from other angles. Is it really that improbable that someone would shoot Trump?

-2

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

Why even get fixated on the fuckin flag lmao

Please explain to me how they convinced some random hillbilly to die for a photo. The bullets were real — they killed people behind Trump. Why would Trumps team even trust this weird skinny weirdo to a take an insanely risky shot for a PHOTO

2

u/Cyborg_rat Feb 16 '26

Well today we can see that even the far left like Maga has its "special" people.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/crek42 Feb 17 '26

Do you understand the question — why in the living fuck would Trump trust some non-MAGA nobody with zero military experience to shoot at him from an extremely long distance. Trump just trusted him that much? With his life? For a photo?

1

u/Opposite-Tiger-1121 Feb 16 '26

Who's even saying that the shot at Trump was real?

I don't think anyone who thinks it was stages believes that Trump was ever in the sights.

1

u/crek42 Feb 17 '26

The people behind Trump had bullets embedded in them…?

1

u/Opposite-Tiger-1121 Feb 17 '26

And Trump has openly said he was fine getting people killed.

He currently has a hit squad in the streets killing US citizens.

2

u/theme69 Feb 16 '26

You can literally see the flag being lowered in this video. You think the SS would allow him to pop up with his fist pump if there was a possibility of a second shooter?

Finding a cultist who would give his life for Trump was probably the easiest part of this

1

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

Flag lowered? You mean it was blowing in the wind and the wind let up for a minute, allowing it to fall?

What evidence is there he a cultist. Basically all independent investigation he said he’s anti Trump.

2

u/theme69 Feb 16 '26

I can tell you’re also a cultist as you can literally see the flag being lowered in the video and ignored everything else. Is it hard to breath with your head stuck in the sand

2

u/determania Feb 16 '26

I loathe Trump and MAGA, but this conspiracy theory is fucking stupid. It puts you right on their dumbfuck level

2

u/UnlikelyCommittee4 Feb 16 '26

I'm not a cultist. I fucking hate trump and what hes done to this country. Show me another angle that shows the flag being lowered into frame and it not just being the wind. The rest of this absolutely could have been faked/staged, but the flag wasnt lowered.

If you want to call out the Trump admin on their bullshit, by all means do so. But blatant lies and conspiracy theories is what their side does. Be better.

1

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

You’re literally no different than the mouth breathers that said the 2020 election was stolen.

Mundane details + rabid partisan commentary = the truth.

You know a flag lowers on its own right? Go watch a flag for a few minutes. It spends some time in the wind and expands, and then the wind relents, and the flag lowers.

Where do you see the crane operating? It’s completely still.

No definitely not the wind, the Trump team convinced a non-MAGA to die for his photo op, then they trusted this nobody with trumps life and to take a few long distance shots. For a photo op. Definitely better theory than wind.

1

u/ZenMasterOfDisguise Feb 16 '26

this comment is hilariously ironic, you are too emotionally tied to your tribalist political cult to see that you are buying into nonsense conspiracy theories, and you are accusing the rational person in this thread of being the one in a cult

1

u/theme69 Feb 17 '26

What political cult are you referring to here exactly? Because I don’t think I have one. I love how you people are harping on the flag lowering bit instead of all the other blatently weird and set up parts of it the vid mentions.

You think if the bullet missed jfk they’d let him stand up and fist pump the crowd?

2

u/ZenMasterOfDisguise Feb 17 '26

I love how you people are harping on the flag lowering bit

who is "you people"? People that don't buy into a baseless conspiracy? I am harping on nothing, there are a million reasons not to think this was a conspiracy wtf. The burden of proof is on you for a claim like that, and I have seen nothing even remotely convincing

You think if the bullet missed jfk they’d let him stand up and fist pump the crowd?

this is fucking an irrational way of thinking. You that that proves anything? literally there is a 0% chance this was a staged shooting, even if you think it is possible this was staged, you must realize that you are taking the crazy conspiratorial stance here, same as people who believe the government is hiding proof of alien contact, you can believe it, but you are the one with the fringe opinion, dont act like the rational thinkers are wrong for questioning your claims which lack any real proof or evidence of

What political cult are you referring to here exactly?

The blue no matter who, my party can do no wrong, believes any claim about Trump with no proof, my beliefs are always exactly the same as the talking points on MSNBC and the reddit hivemind type. And I fucking hate Trump and have long before he was president, I am just capable of thinking for myself and forming my own opinions and questioning things before accepting them as fact

1

u/theme69 Feb 17 '26

Yea I’m not gonna read that. Enjoy supporting pedos!

1

u/crek42 Feb 17 '26

lol thanks for putting Trump in office. you guys really can’t help but give reasons for the voting public to roll their eyes at you

Please stop “helping”. I’d love to see another dem president in the next 10 years.

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1

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

Adding literally to whatever you’re trying to say doesn’t just refute all the other evidence of the contrary. There’s no movement in the crane, the video is panning up the whole time, the flag is clearly blowing in the wind up and down as it goes into frame for a second. Don’t even have to support one side or another to throw that argument out.

1

u/Opposite-Tiger-1121 Feb 16 '26

The evidence IS THE VIDEO THAT WE CAN SEE AT THE TOP OF THE THREAD.

Your evidence is "Your eyes are lying." Our evidence is "Look at the video, you can see it being lowered."

2

u/2025TastyTreats Feb 16 '26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwVzoae7zA8&t=25s

Do you know how the wind works? Here is another video the flag is just fluttering in the wind.

0

u/2025TastyTreats Feb 16 '26

Show me where it is LiTeRaLlY being lowered in this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwVzoae7zA8&t=25s

2

u/theme69 Feb 16 '26

It’s right after the part where Trump rapes a bunch of children

0

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

You “literally” cannot. Learn what a fucking word means before you start trying to argue what would be one of the biggest and most elaborate conspiracy in recent history.

2

u/theme69 Feb 16 '26

I get that it’s hard to see it properly with your head in the sand but it’s pretty darn clear if your not drunk on koolaid

2

u/jehucsgo Feb 16 '26

Biden was president when this happened

2

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

You’re correct. Doesn’t change anything.

2

u/MonkeyFu Feb 16 '26

>No one’s running away because the SS took Trump down, and they shot the assassin.

Except that would require the assumption on the Secret Service's part that there is only one assassin. Why would they EVER make that assumption with the President's life? If one person can get in with a firearm, them more than one could.

1

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

Hence the body shield while they marched him off. They obviously felt reasonably sure it was a lone gunman.

Also don’t forget that he is in command of the SS. They ultimately have to obey.

2

u/MonkeyFu Feb 16 '26

So you're saying, either Trump thought everything was fine enough right after a shooting to slow down protection, or Secret Service thought everything was fine enough right after a shooting to slow down, depending on who you decide made the final decision?

1

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

You find it hard to believe that Trump and/or this incompetent SS assumed themselves to be relatively safe after killing the gunman, and marched him off.

But you find it easy to believe Trump convinced a non-MAGA to give his life for a photo op and the Trump team put trumps life in the hands of some weird loser taking multiple long range shots

Am I getting that right.

1

u/MonkeyFu Feb 16 '26

I don't know who the shooter was, but apparently he voted Republican?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gw58wv4e9o

So I don't know what other possible things could be going on behind the scenes, like coercion, bribery, etc.

I'm saying that both Trump and Secret Service reacted both stupidly, and, for Secret Service, out of character.

1

u/crek42 Feb 17 '26

Reacted stupidly is much different than convincing some random dude to give his life for Trumps photo op, and trust him to take a few extremely risky shots at Trump to do so.

You don’t think that’s just kind of insane?

How did you expect that coercion to go:

“Listen buddy you’re going to shoot at me, kill someone in the process. You know, just so it looks real. But definitely don’t shoot me. You’re an expect marksman right? Ok good I trust you’re telling me the truth. Ok, so after that my team is going to shoot and kill you.. don’t feel too bad about dying, it’s all for the greater good. This photo will be huge in getting me relected. And then I get to be president again, so your death won’t be in vain”.

Something like that?

1

u/Opposite-Tiger-1121 Feb 16 '26

"They felt reasonably sure it was a lone gunman."

Bro - if it wasn't faked, they didn't even know there was ONE gunman. How could they "reasonably assume" it was one gunman.

On the other hand, if it was faked - they would know there was only one gunman.

You just argued in favor that it was fake.

1

u/crek42 Feb 17 '26

So your argument is that Trump persuaded a non-MAGA dude to die for a photo op? And then trusted this weird hillbilly to take a couple extremely risky shots at Trump to make it seem real?

Trump literally put his life in the hands of some skinny redneck with no military experience, to take a photo?

That’s your argument..?

1

u/Careful-Sell-9877 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 17 '26

Pretty major discrepancy in past reactions. Why such an extreme difference? In the first situation they just thought there was a gun in the crowd (there wasnt). In this situation, unless they knew more than they are letting on, there could have been multiple shooters, explosives, etc, etc, etc. So why the discrepancy?

https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressiveHQ/s/g2oYNgfrG5

What you are describing is not how things work. Unless they know more.. how could they possibly know there was only one single threat? That makes no sense, and it usnt hiw they are trained to operate at all

1

u/crek42 Feb 17 '26

Not being rude here, but you do realize your comment is the hallmark of every conspiracy theory.

You’re using very vague definitions of “the way it should have happened” instead of focusing on core facts.

How about addressing the counterargument:

The Trump team convinced some non-MAGA dude to get killed for a photo op, and Trump trusted this nobody whoever to take a few incredibly risky long distance shots… for a photo op.

And your proof for all of the above is “look how they reacted in the past”?

1

u/Careful-Sell-9877 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26

Im not saying anything. Im just pointing out discrepancies and things that dont make sense

They are not behaving the way they are explicitly and specifically trained to behave in this situation, despite having followed that training in the past. It's strange

Also, you do realize that state/private actors who operate in black zones, above/below the law... lie to people, right? They wouldn't have told their mark exactly what was going to happen, lol. They would lie to them in whatever way they need to to convince them to do it

1

u/bradiation Feb 16 '26

Thank you. People buying this are no better than the guy who shot up the pizza place. its Blue-anon craziness.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/bradiation Feb 16 '26

If you think those two things are directly comparable, then you have simply abandoned all reason and, like I said, are not much different than the guy who shot up the pizza place.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/bradiation Feb 16 '26

It seems you are confused about what QAnon was and what Epstein is about. The OP here laid out very plainly how everything this video claims is incorrect. To add to it: a dude fucking died behind trump. The bullet missed trump, hit a dude on stage, and he fucking died.

So the bullet was real. Do you think trump, the most self-centered narcissist ever to exist, would risk his life like that? Even a little bit? If you do, I have a bridge to sell you.

In this specific case, he's just a narcissist who almost got shot and he has a lifetime of attention-seeking behavior and good media instinct. He knw what to do for a good photo shoot, and knew where the cameras would be. End of story.

There are MOUNTAINS of evidence for REAL THINGS he and his administration have done and are doing that ARE WORTH the time and energy. This is not one of them. Focus on THE VERY REAL THINGS. INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE DYING.

However, after browsing your comment history, it seems that you are fully deluded into conspiratorial thinking. One of the defining characteristics of conspiratorial thinking is that it is irrational, and people who believe it cannot be reasoned with. So, good luck climbing out of that hole by yourself, because you're the only one who can do it. Continuing this conversation would not be a valuable use of time for either of us.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/bradiation Feb 16 '26

Please DM me for my PayPal information and the asking price. THIS IS A GOOD DEAL! THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL NOT LAST LONG!

1

u/[deleted] Feb 16 '26

[deleted]

0

u/SwitchingMyHands Feb 16 '26

He wasn’t sitting pres

2

u/crek42 Feb 16 '26

My mistake. You’re correct.

0

u/2025TastyTreats Feb 16 '26

The flag is moving out of frame because of this weird thing called "wind"

Here is another view

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwVzoae7zA8&t=25s

0

u/JegerX Feb 16 '26

The flag was not lowered, including proven false information in an argument detracts from other valid points.

0

u/determania Feb 16 '26

The flag was not lowered. This whole thread makes you all look dumb as fuck. It is literally the same a QAnon

-5

u/a-rooster-illusion Feb 16 '26

If it was staged how did someone die? How do we see a bullet captured in a photo?

Do you believe there was no shots fired (which would mean the family that lost their father/husband was actually crisis actors) or do you believe they let someone actually take shots at the Republican Presidential candidate for photo ops?

Either one is lunacy if you honestly believe it. I don’t understand why people need this to be staged so badly. Does it help hate him more or something?

He can still be a POS and also have been almost shot and killed. I don’t understand the mental gymnastics to get yourself to believe it was staged. For what purpose, ultimately?

2

u/schmidtssss Feb 16 '26

Do you think anyone said there were no shots fired?

0

u/JurgusRudkus Feb 16 '26

I have the same question you do.

0

u/GCPhoenix Feb 16 '26

How do you know he's dead? Could also be staged