The CIA has denied recent conspiracy theories suggesting that the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was part of a secret CIA program involving brainwashed killers. These claims have surfaced on several far-right accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the incident earlier this month.
In the 1970s, the existence of the CIA’s MKUltra program, which aimed to develop mind-manipulation techniques, was revealed, leading to widespread public concern. However, despite the program’s controversial history, the notion that it could create “Manchurian Candidate”-style assassins has been widely debunked.
The conspiracy theories gained traction after a 20-year-old named Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. While Crooks has been identified as acting alone, some social media users claim he was trained by the CIA under an MKUltra program to target Trump.
One account, @RealGlobalNews, speculated on X, “What if US President Joe Biden’s ‘mean tweets’ triggered Thomas Matthew Crooks? Yes, like an #MKUltra test subject.” Another account, @MJTruthUltra, simply tweeted, “MKUltra anyone?” and listed various unsubstantiated claims about Crooks and the police investigation.
In response, the CIA took the unusual step of publicly denying these allegations. “These claims are utterly false, absurd, and damaging,” a CIA spokesperson told Gizmodo on Thursday. “The CIA had no relationship whatsoever with Thomas Crooks. Regarding MKUltra, the CIA’s program was shut down more than 40 years ago, and declassified information about the program is publicly available on CIA.gov.”
This public denial, first reported by Wired and confirmed by Gizmodo, marks a departure from the agency’s typical practice of avoiding engagement with conspiracy theories.
The MKUltra program, which involved unethical experiments such as administering mind-altering drugs to unwitting subjects, was officially terminated decades ago. Although it led to significant abuses, there is no evidence to suggest the CIA successfully created mind-controlled assassins.
The motive behind Crooks’ actions remains unknown. Despite the lack of evidence supporting the conspiracy theories, such narratives persist, fueled by the broader context of distrust and suspicion towards government activities.
SOURCES: WIRED, GIZMODO
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