Trump's history of 'playing with fire' now 'coming back to bite': CNN analyst

President Donald Trump's history of "playing with fire" when it comes to conspiracy theories appears to be "coming back to bite" after MAGA began questioning one of the president's signature narratives, according to one analyst.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania. The event produced images of Trump surrounded by Secret Service agents on stage with a bloodied ear, raising his fist, which have been recycled throughout Trump's second administration. MAGA has since begun to question that as Trump continues to erode trust with his base of supporters.

Donie O'Sullivan, a CNN senior correspondent, said on Monday that it seems Trump's history of engaging with conspiracy theories is starting to backfire.

"It's a very sad reflection of the state of things in the United States at the moment, where people really do not know what to trust," O'Sullivan said. "But I would just say, when it comes to Trump and the MAGA base, he has obviously played with fire for many years when it comes to stoking conspiracy theories. And now you sort of see it coming back to bite him."