Nearly half of Americans report encountering false political news at least once, the amount depending on age and where they get their information.
Trump himself has promoted numerous unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, such as QAnon. He encourages others to spread this false information and has promoted beliefs regarding protests, coronavirus infection and voting.
QAnon
QAnon has become the go-to figure for millions of far-right followers who believe in a vast conspiracy theory accusing some of the world's most powerful people of perpetrating serious crimes. The movement arose out of Pizzagate, in which several prominent figures were falsely accused of running child pornography rings; moreover, it draws heavily upon antisemitic blood libel beliefs to inform its rhetoric and spread its ideology - for instance one canard from QAnon claims that members of an international ruling cabal would steal victims blood to use in order to prolong their own lifespan.
Since 2017, when QAnon first appeared online via fringe platforms, its movement has experienced exponential growth. Posts posted by an anonymous figure known only as "Q," who claimed to be a government insider and waged war against the deep state, quickly gained momentum - eventually joining by high-profile influencers who promoted conspiracy theories at Trump rallies and other official appearances.
Pew Research Center researchers recently conducted a survey and discovered that most Americans have heard of QAnon, with Republican and GOP-leaning audiences such as Fox News and talk radio more likely to recognize its existence than others. Furthermore, respondents who believed in QAnon mostly or completely agreed with its claims of an international conspiracy to destroy America and violence being necessary in order to save it - all underpinned by Satan worshiping pedophiles taking control over government, media, and financial arenas.
QAnon influencers not only promote conspiracy theories, but they also practice pseudopsychology and pseudotherapy using the telepathy theory to convince followers they are receiving messages directly from God or spiritual sources. Adherents to QAnon often heavily utilize social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, boasting multiple accounts with large followings for this movement.
The QAnon movement is always developing new narratives and fake news stories, including false claims made this week about voting machines stealing Trump votes in Georgia from Georgia Voting Machine Corporation - this post created by an influencer known to frequently post yoga and wellness-themed material on their accounts.
CIA
As part of his plan to punish Daniel Ellsberg for leaking Pentagon Papers, President Nixon employed tactics designed to destroy his agency. These included creating an "anti-CIA boogeyman" within and whipping up fears about an ongoing conspiracy within it; an effective and successful tactic given that its institution is built around secrecy that makes responding to allegations of secret activities difficult, although not impossible; nonetheless it did prove successful and effectively demolished conspiracy theories against it.
Conspiracy theories are believed to be beliefs in which two or more individuals have joined together to do something illegal or immoral, such as breaking laws or restricting free speech. Conspiracy theories can be spread by anyone from politicians to ordinary citizens and often used against particular individuals or organizations. While many conspiracy theories are false, others based on strong evidence may cause damage by leading people to mistrust the government or military and inhibit free speech.
Conspiracy theories can be an effective way to manipulate public opinion and shape foreign policy decisions. For instance, some conspiracies allege that the US government was behind 9/11. While they deny such claims, some experts argue they may have supported terrorists who conducted these attacks.
The CIA is often at the center of controversial conspiracy theories, particularly those related to its role in President Kennedy's assassination. Because all its records on this event remain classified, speculation about a cover-up continues and there have even been reports that three men spotted by Dallas newspapers walking near Texas School Book Depository were agents working for the agency.
The CIA has long been accused of employing torture and illegal kidnapping to gain intelligence. Although they do not deny these allegations, the agency maintains they do not do such practices intentionally. Although reforms have been implemented to address concerns related to these allegations, critics still accuse it of having a cultural issue which encourages arrogance, parochialism, disregard for oversight, tolerance of poor professional performance or personal misconduct among its ranks.
Deep State
Deep State is an increasingly common term in American political discussions. The term refers to an unelected and secretive subset of government that wields significant power over public affairs - for instance by undermining elected politicians or providing covert influence over elections or major events.
The term "deep state" has long been employed in conspiracy theories on both sides of the political spectrum, both left- and right-leaning. It is generally seen as an existential threat to democracy and law; allowing governments to exercise secret powers without being accountable to its constituents, with this power used for censoring or manipulating political discourse which could ultimately lead to social unrest or civil war.
For decades, "deep state" has been used as a metaphor to refer to coalitions of longstanding bureaucrats working behind-the-scenes to block policies which threaten domestic or international interests, without regard for transparency or democracy. Such coalitions may even operate independently from elected branches of government influenced by far-right ideologies such as nationalism or populism.
Donald Trump used "deep state" rhetoric during his campaign for president to attack opponents and suggest that he would clean up their corrupt ways, invoking that claim in an attempt to claim that election stolen from him by deep state forces. This caused a website known as QAnon that is filled with racist and white supremacist ideals - eventually amassing millions of followers who believe deep state conspiracy plotting to take over America.
The concept of the deep state isn't new in politics, but since Donald Trump's inauguration it has taken on greater significance. Understanding its introduction into American political lexicon provides insight into how conspiracy theories emerge and develop over time.
Secret Societies
Secret societies are groups, organizations or clubs whose inner workings and activities remain hidden from those outside the group's membership. Their roots may lie in religion, ideology or more secular beliefs; often with infighting within and claiming origins that cannot be reliably documented. Skull and Bones, The Illuminati and Freemasons are some examples of well-known secret societies.
The secret society theory refers to the belief that certain groups, such as those in power or with political influence, are secretly plotting against world events in an effort to control them. While some truth lies behind this mythology of secret societies, this doesn't necessarily equate with them taking over our world.
Scholars have written extensively about secret societies, with J. M. Roberts' The Mythology of the Secret Society (London 1972) being among them. Other works exploring secret societies in various countries include Charles William Heckethorn's The Secret Societies of All Ages and Countries (2 vols.; 1875-1897; reprint New York 1965); Jean Chesneaux's Male Cults and Secret Societies in Brazil and Melanesia (Ann Arbor 1971) as well as Alvin J Schmidt's Fraternal Organizations (Westport CT 1980).
College fraternities have long been recognized for their secret societies, such as Yale's Skull and Bones fraternity. Other illustrious members include President William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt as well as Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and musician John Legend.
One of the more fascinating secret societies is the Bilderberg Group, an intriguing gathering of elites from business, government, and media. Selected by committee and given an opportunity to discuss matters pertinent to global communities - climate change, terrorism, Brexit are just some of the issues discussed during these meetings.
There have been various conspiracy theories regarding Bilderberg, from claims they are plotting to destroy democracy to those suggesting they seek to establish a One World Order. While no concrete proof can be provided for these assertions, these speculations nevertheless spark curiosity in many.
To learn more about presidential conspiracy read Presidential Secrets: Oval Office Conspiracy's by John Connolly on Amazon today.