CNN refutes Rogan-Musk conspiracy theory that network may have been ‘tipped off’ to Trump assassination attempt

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Get our free Inside Washington email

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

CNN is pushing back on a conspiracy theory fueled by Joe Rogan and Elon Musk that the network had prior knowledge about the attempt on Donald Trump’s life, prompting the channel to air live coverage of the campaign rally.

The wild theory was quickly picked up by conservatives and MAGA media personalities, who wondered whether CNN “was tipped off” that a shooting would take place and that the network should be subjected to an investigation.

“CNN provided live coverage of President Trump’s Butler, PA rally in anticipation of news about his pick for Vice President,” a CNN spokesperson told The Independent. “Any suggestion contrary to that fact is completely false.”

During Rogan’s latest sitdown with Musk, which featured the world’s richest man making baseless accusations about business rivals being on the so-called “Epstein list,” the conspiracy-peddling podcaster claimed that it was suspicious that CNN carried the rural Pennsylvania rally where the president was grazed with a bullet. At the same time, he falsely asserted that the network did not carry any other Trump rallies during the 2024 campaign.

“You also know that CNN streamed it live, which I do not believe they did for any other rally — and certainly not for a rally in the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania. Like, there’s a lot of weird sh*t,” Rogan said, prompting Musk to agree that “it makes no sense.” Rogan went on to complain that “everyone stopped asking questions” about the assassination attempt and insisted that there was never a full investigation into the shooting – even though a bipartisan House committee launched a probe and issued a nearly 200-page final report in December.

“There was never a formal report,” he declared. “There was never press conferences where they detailed all the information we know currently and where the investigation stands at the moment.”

After a clip of Rogan’s and Musk’s insinuations about CNN were posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday evening, several prominent conservatives amplified the groundless claims and gave it more traction.

“What are the chances @CNN was tipped off to stream the Butler rally?” Trump-backing billionaire Bill Ackman tweeted. “Why isn’t this worthy of an investigation? It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out who orders the coverage and why.”

Sharing the clip on X alongside Rogan’s full quote about the network, Musk acolyte Mario Nawfal called it “weird” that CNN aired the Bulter rally while parroting Rogan’s false claim that the network didn’t carry any other Trump events.

In a since-deleted tweet, Fox News contributor Joe Concha also helped to fan the conspiratorial flames by implying there was something fishy about CNN deciding to take the weekend rally live.

“This is 100% correct,” he wrote. “I was about to go on the air to co-host The Big Weekend Show and noticed this on my way in. CNN never airs Trump rallies anymore (they aired plenty in 2015-2016 for ratings). The question is — why this one?”

Eventually, CNN’s communications team replied to each of these accounts to refute the theories they were peddling, pointing out that there was a very simple reason why the network would broadcast the July rally.

“CNN provided live coverage of President Trump’s Butler, PA, rally in anticipation of news about his pick for Vice President,” the network PR social media account stated. “Any suggestion contrary to that fact is completely false.”

Indeed, the Butler rally took place less than 48 hours before the start of the Republican National Convention, and there was a lot of speculation that Trump would be naming his running mate before the RNC – which would of course be an extremely newsworthy event. Additionally, despite Rogan’s assertions and those promoting his theory, CNN regularly carried portions of Trump’s rallies live throughout the 2024 campaign.

While Ackman and others have kept their posts up after CNN PR responded to them, Concha – who Status News founder Oliver Darcy noted “once desperately worked to be taken seriously by industry professionals as a media reporter” – pulled his down without explanation. The Independent has reached out to him for comment.