Plot reportedly prompted agency to add 'protective resources and capabilities' to Trump's security detail.
Conservatives on social media expressed deep skepticism on Tuesday after the U.S. Secret Service agency revealed it had ramped up security for former President Donald Trump after it had learned in recent weeks that Iranians planned to assassinate him.
The news comes on the heels of the attempted assassination of Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, though the timing may be coincidental. National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson insisted that authorities had "not identified ties between the shooter and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic."
The Secret Service indicated that it had recently uncovered a possible Iranian threat against Trump and "added protective resources and capabilities to the former President’s security detail" as a precaution, said spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. The agency has also repeatedly warned the former president about the inherent dangers of outdoor campaign rallies in general.
Iran, authorities claim, is still seething from Trump's assassination of Qasem Soleimani in 2020, when Trump was still in office, but many conservatives on social media have questions about the latest reports regarding the foreign adversary.
Many, for example, suggested federal agents may be using the supposed Iranian plot as a pretext for another war.
"The deep state wants war with Iran. What better way than for them to 'kill two birds with one stone' by removing Trump and leaving the body on Iran? That’s what they want. Beware!" said Michael Cernovich.
"Did the CIA just declare war on The Republic? Because this Iran story is too on-the-nose. Watch the players. That will tell you," added "Dilbert" cartoonist Scott Adams.
"There's no doubt Iran wants Trump dead. Did this actually happen though? That's much more up in the air," added the popular account known as Not the Bee.
"Ah yes, Iran waited 4.5 years to get revenge on Trump — right before he officially becomes the GOP nominee and begins receiving intelligence briefings," quipped an account known as johnny maga, which has over 100,000 followers.
Still others hinted that the Secret Service may be trying to deflect blame for the security breaches at the Trump rally that allowed the assassination attempt to happen.
"Don’t believe your eyes, we actually DID step up Secret Service resources for Trump," joked former PJ Media NYC editor David Steinberg.
"Secret Service is trying to pivot to Iran so we don’t suspect them in Saturday’s attempts on Trump’s life," said Hotep Jesus, another conservative account with hundreds of thousands of followers. In the post, Hotep Jesus also included a gif of Alex Jones wearing a tinfoil hat.
Trump's campaign issued its own statement about the reports: "We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service."