Rogan dismissed conspiracy theories surrounding the July 13, 2024 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed Trump's ear after he turned to look at an immigration chart. The podcaster mocked suggestions that Trump staged the attack for sympathy.
There is not a person on Earth that could nick your ear at 140 yards, reliably.
"There's a lot of people running around out there saying that that first Trump assassination was a setup, and that it was a hoax," Rogan said. "Anybody who says that doesn't know anything about guns."
Security 'Capitulation' Not Breakdown
Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, argued the Butler incident represented intentional "capitulation" rather than security failure. The congressman used a colorful analogy to illustrate his point about the severity of the breach.
"If Tim Burchett sneaks into the back of a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert and gets close to the stage, that's a 'breakdown,'" Burchett said, contrasting it with what he called "a complete capitulation" in Pennsylvania.
The discussion came after a recent incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, marking the latest in a series of threats against Trump since the Butler shooting.
Media Programming Blamed
Rogan specifically targeted news outlets for creating a climate that radicalizes Americans who lack time to research nuanced perspectives themselves. He argued that negative coverage programs people to hate Trump intensely.
"They put Trump out there and there's people that don't like him," Burchett warned. "You can say what you want to about programming and things, I just think it's out there. I think it is a reality and I think we better — people had better wake up."
The conversation reflects growing concerns among Trump allies about the role of media coverage in escalating political tensions. Rogan has previously accused outlets of waging "the greatest media psy-op in history" against Trump, claiming they distorted his character.
Both men emphasized that most Americans don't have the time or resources to dig beyond headlines and soundbites, making them vulnerable to what they see as media manipulation. The discussion highlights the ongoing debate over press responsibility amid heightened political polarization and security threats against public figures.
