Within minutes of reports of shots fired at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the White House Correspondents Dinner, members of an anti-American Telegram channel called "ResistanceTrench" began posting comments framing the incident as part of a broader narrative of instability and civil war in the United States.
Immediate Reactions and Calls for Revolution
"Let’s goo civil war time."
At 9:10 p.m., one user expressed support for the shooting, prompting another to respond:
"Maybe first shots of the revolution?"
The first user then escalated the rhetoric:
"I think we're witnessing the beginning of the American civil war to be frankly honest. They might blame it on Iran but it's obvious all the shooting and attack in America is leading towards civil war."
Mocking the Evacuation
Other users focused on ridiculing the security response. As President Donald Trump was evacuated, one user mocked the scene:
"Are they dead ass carrying him?"
Another dismissed the entire event as fabricated:
"Let’s see who they blame this on this fake soap opera."
A separate user predicted forthcoming geopolitical blaming:
"Within hours, expect Zionist accusations that Iran is behind the shooting."
Some posts targeted the evacuees directly, with one user stating:
"Bunch of f***ing cowards."
Dark Humor and Cultural References
At 9:34 p.m., another user joked about the shooter's shirt, referencing the film Straight Outta Compton.
Analysis: Shaping Narratives Before Facts Emerge
The rapid spread of speculation and preemptive geopolitical framing illustrates how domestic crises can be used by adversarial actors to shape narratives before facts are established.