‘Unfounded’ Claim of Bomb Discovered Near Trump’s Long Island Rally

An alarming Facebook post on September 18 shared what it claimed was breaking news about a serious security threat faced by former President Donald Trump. The post read, “JUST IN: TERRORISM? BOMB Found Near New York Trump Rally, Emergency Evacuation, Third Assassin Attempt!?” This post quickly gained traction, being reposted thousands of times on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, by figures including billionaire Elon Musk and Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

However, thorough investigations by authorities found no explosives were present and confirmed that the person disseminating the false information was detained. Reports clarify that there was no credible evidence of an evacuation at the rally site.

Trump held the rally in Long Island, New York, on September 18, aiming to bolster Republican support in a crucial state. This rally occurred just three days following what the FBI termed a failed assassination attempt on Trump. In that incident, Secret Service agents confronted an armed individual who was found hiding in bushes at Trump’s golf club in Florida.

Claims that explosives were discovered near the Long Island rally were swiftly dismissed by the Nassau County Police Department, who took to X to declare the reports “unfounded.” Additionally, they stated that there was no credible evidence of any evacuation taking place at the event.

Authorities did respond to a reported “suspicious incident” around the rally site. Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder characterized the bomb threat claims as baseless. He revealed that the individual who made the false report may have been engaged in a training exercise with a bomb-sniffing dog at the time. This fact substantially undermines the original claims circulating on social media.

There were no credible reports indicating that Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where the rally was held, or any nearby areas had been evacuated. Legitimate media sources, present at the time, did not report any emergencies or evacuations related to the allegations. Such an incident, if true, would have attracted extensive coverage, but no such reports materialized.

The misleading bomb claim gained traction just hours before the rally, stemming from an X post by a reporter citing unnamed police sources, as reported by The Associated Press. Subsequently, the claims were amplified by both Musk and Greene, reaching their vast follower bases. Greene’s post included a screenshot from a non-credible news outlet, although her spokesperson, Nick Dyer, stated that she did later share the police commissioner’s clarifying statement, which debunked the erroneous claims.

This incident is not isolated, as USA TODAY has previously fact-checked various false claims linked to the Florida incident, including dubious assertions about the suspect in the assassination attempt, Ryan Routh. These discredited claims falsely suggested Routh had appeared in an ad for investment firm BlackRock and that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had refused to hand him over to federal authorities. It was also incorrectly claimed that Trump referenced the assassination attempt in a post stating that his would-be assassins are “0-2.”

Despite outreach to X and the original Facebook user disseminating the bomb claim, there have been no immediate responses. This issue highlights the challenges and responsibilities surrounding the sharing of information, especially on social media platforms where misinformation can spread rapidly and widely.

The clear stance from law enforcement serves as a reminder about the importance of patience and critical thinking during high-tension events. Misinformation can cause unnecessary alarm and distract from genuine security concerns.

Source: USA TODAY