{"id":2315594,"date":"2024-07-29T16:22:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T20:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cia-addresses-mkultra-claims-regarding-trump-shooting\/"},"modified":"2024-07-29T16:28:14","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T20:28:14","slug":"cia-addresses-mkultra-claims-regarding-trump-shooting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cia-addresses-mkultra-claims-regarding-trump-shooting\/","title":{"rendered":"CIA Addresses MKUltra Claims Regarding Trump Shooting"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcia-addresses-mkultra-claims-regarding-trump-shooting%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2315594&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The CIA has\u200b publicly \u200ddenied\u2064 an\u200c internet conspiracy \u2062theory claiming that Thomas Matthew Crooks, a deceased \u2064individual who\u2063 shot former President\u200c Donald \u200dTrump during\u200b a\u200d rally in July\u2064 2023, was a CIA asset connected to the MKUltra \u200dprogram. MKUltra, a covert CIA initiative in the 1950s and 60s aimed\u200d at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/celebrate-the-truth-politifact-announces-festival-of-fact-checking-with-special-guests-anthony-fauci-and-cnns-brian-stelter\/\" title=\"\u2018Celebrate The Truth!\u2019 PolitiFact Announces \u2018Festival Of Fact-Checking,\u2019 With Special Guests Anthony Fauci and CNN\u2019s Brian Stelter\">mind control<\/a>, has been \u200bthe subject of \u200dmuch \u2063speculation and fiction. \u200cThe CIA has emphatically stated that they had no relationship with \u2063Crooks, labeling \u200bthe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/miles-anonymous-taylor-accidentally-exposes-the-fraudulence-of-the-mainstream-media\/\" title=\"Miles &#039;Anonymous&#039; Taylor Accidentally Exposes the Fraudulence of the Mainstream Media\">conspiracy theory<\/a> as &#8220;utterly false&#8221; and reiterating that MKUltra was shut down decades ago, \u2063with information\u200c about it \u2062available publicly.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the CIA&#8217;s denial, some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media<\/a> users perpetuate the narrative, which is associated with larger conspiracy movements like \u2063QAnon. However, a \u20642021 poll\u200c indicated that only \u2064a small percentage of Trump supporters had a favorable view of \u2063QAnon. The persistence of these \u200dtheories in mainstream \u200bmedia, particularly\u2063 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-department-hired-german-propagandists-to-introduce-censorship-in-american-schools\/\" title=\"State Dept. hired German propagandists for US school censorship\">left-leaning\u200b outlets<\/a>, has drawn criticism, \u200bsuggesting that they are\u2064 used to undermine Trump supporters, even \u200cas\u2063 evidence points\u2064 to minimal belief in them within\u200b that demographic.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section>\n<p>The CIA denied an ominous internet conspiracy theory involving the shooting of former President Donald Trump via a public statement Monday.<\/p>\n<p>The former president was shot through the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.<\/p>\n<p>The conspiracy theory in question, which has mainly popped up on obscure internet spaces and social media accounts, posits that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the now-deceased would-be-assassin who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/lost-sight-concerning-law-enforcement-text-messages-just-trump-shooting-released\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shot Trump<\/a>, may have been a CIA asset.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/cia-denies-conspiracy-theory-that-it-used-mkultra-on-trump-shooter-2000479562\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gizmodo<\/a>, it was revealed the CIA had been developing a &ldquo;mind-manipulation program&rdquo; aimed at creating brain-washed, mind-controlled assets.<\/p>\n<p>The program, called MKUltra, was unsuccessful.<\/p>\n<p>  <script> \t\t\t\tif( ! getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ) ) if( typeof FFADS.replace_ict !='undefined' ) if( FFADS.replace_ict ) eval( FFADS.replace_ict ); \t\t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>A Freedom of Information Act <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cia.gov\/readingroom\/document\/06760269\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">request<\/a> to the CIA claims that MKUltra was an &ldquo;official U.S. government program&rdquo; that spanned the &rsquo;50s and &rsquo;60s.<\/p>\n<p>The document says the project &ldquo;supposedly used United States citizens as unwitting test subjects&rdquo; and that the project &ldquo;involved the surreptitious use of many times of drugs, as well as other methods, to manipulate individual mental states and to alter brain function.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s the stuff of fictitious spy novels.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, some social media users went as far as to claim Crooks had been trained and controlled by the CIA via the MKUltra program.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/thomas-crooks-conspiracy-donald-trump-cia-mk-ultra\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wired<\/a>, the CIA refuted the conspiracy theory.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;These claims are utterly false, absurd, and damaging,&rdquo; a CIA spokesperson said Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The CIA had no relationship whatsoever with Thomas Crooks.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Regarding MKULTRA, the CIA&rsquo;s program was shut down more than 40 years ago, and declassified information about the program is publicly available on CIA.gov.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Gizmodo went on to use the conspiracy theory to attack Trump supporters, noting that &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really their entire brand&rdquo; to support theories such as QAnon.<\/p>\n<p>The outlet then added, &ldquo;Trump supporters may be some of the dumbest people on the planet.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In reality, few supporters of former President Trump actually believe or support theories like QAnon.<\/p>\n<p>A 2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.suffolk.edu\/-\/media\/suffolk\/documents\/academics\/research-at-suffolk\/suprc\/polls\/issues-polls\/2021\/2_22_2021_marginals_pdftxt.pdf?la=en&amp;hash=90BD0E21168399E259262CD994978737F5D7F929\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">poll<\/a> (conducted much closer to the height of the QAnon theory) found that only 4 percent of Trump voters held a &ldquo;favorable&rdquo; view of the movement.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, 31.4 percent found the movement &ldquo;unfavorable,&rdquo; 43.3 percent said they had &ldquo;never heard&rdquo; of QAnon, and 21.3 percent were undecided.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, left-wing establishment media outlets have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/new-poll-shatters-lefts-qanon-narrative-4-trump-supporters-believe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">repeatedly thrust the theory<\/a> into the center of the national spotlight.<\/p>\n<p>And now, it appears that a similarly unpopular theory at the fringes of social media, the MKUltra theory, is being thrust into that spotlight as well by outlets such as Wired and Gizmodo.<\/p>\n<p>And, as is demonstrated in Gizmodo&rsquo;s article, at least one media outlet has attempted to tie this conspiracy to Trump.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The CIA issued a public statement on Monday refuting a troubling internet conspiracy theory related to the shooting of former President Donald Trump. Trump was shot in the ear at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. This conspiracy theory, which has circulated primarily in lesser-known online forums and social media platforms, suggests that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the now-deceased individual who attempted to assassinate Trump, might have been affiliated with the CIA. Gizmodo reported that it was disclosed that the CIA had been working on a &#8220;mind-manipulation program&#8221; intended to create brainwashed assets known as MKUltra; however, this program ultimately failed.<\/p>\n<p>A Freedom of Information Act request revealed that MKUltra was an &#8220;official U.S. government program&#8221; during the 1950s and 1960s. The documents indicated that this project allegedly involved using unwitting American citizens as test subjects and employed various drugs and methods to manipulate mental states and alter brain functions\u2014elements reminiscent of fictional spy stories. Despite this context, some users on social media went so far as to claim Crooks had been trained and controlled by the CIA through MKUltra.<\/p>\n<p>In response to these allegations, a CIA spokesperson told Wired that such claims are &#8220;utterly false, absurd, and damaging,&#8221; asserting there was no connection between Thomas Crooks and the agency. They also noted that MKUltra had been discontinued over 40 years ago and information about it is publicly accessible on their website.<\/p>\n<p>Gizmodo used this conspiracy theory as an opportunity to criticize Trump supporters by suggesting they are inclined towards unfounded theories like QAnon. However, data from a 2021 poll indicated only 4 percent of Trump voters viewed QAnon favorably; many were either unfavorable or unaware of it altogether. Despite this reality, left-leaning media outlets continue to spotlight such theories alongside similar fringe ideas like MKUltra in relation to Trump supporters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/butler-scene-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7362,34701,36155,36561,3634],"class_list":["post-2315594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-cia","tag-conspiracy-theories","tag-government-accountability","tag-mkultra","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/butler-scene-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2315594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2315594"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2315594\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2315594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2315594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2315594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}