The Conspiracy President: An Analysis of Donald Trump's Role in Mainstreaming Fringe Narratives
Introduction: From Fringe to Forefront
The political career of Donald J. Trump is inextricably linked with the promotion and amplification of conspiracy theories. His engagement with these narratives is not an ancillary characteristic or an occasional rhetorical flourish, but rather a foundational element of his political methodology. His rise to the presidency and his conduct while in office represent a critical inflection point in American public life, marking the transition of conspiracism from the political fringe to the center of mainstream discourse. This report argues that Donald Trump has operated not merely as a passive repeater of existing conspiracy theories, but as a "conspiracy advocate"—an active agent who selects, shapes, and aggressively disseminates fringe narratives to serve distinct strategic goals.1 This approach has been instrumental in building his political base, delegitimizing opponents and institutions, and constructing an alternative reality for his followers that is resistant to factual refutation.
Whether he personally believes the conspiracies he promotes is a matter of speculation and, for the purposes of this analysis, secondary to their functional impact.2 What is demonstrable is his consistent and systematic use of these theories as a tool for political mobilization and power. From his entry into the political arena as the chief proponent of the "Birther" movement to his sustained, multi-year campaign to delegitimize the 2020 presidential election with the "Big Lie," and his symbiotic relationship with the QAnon meta-conspiracy, Trump has repeatedly demonstrated the efficacy of this strategy. He has successfully harnessed the pre-existing distrust in institutions among a segment of the American populace and channeled it into a potent political force loyal primarily to him.3
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Donald Trump's relationship with conspiracy theories. It will deconstruct the methods of their dissemination, analyze their strategic political functions, and assess their lasting impact on the American political landscape and its democratic institutions. The analysis is structured in three parts. Part I offers a deep examination of the three foundational pillars of his conspiratorial worldview: the "Birther" campaign, the "Big Lie" concerning the 2020 election, and the QAnon movement. These three cases serve as exemplars of his methodology and have had the most profound and disruptive impact. Part II provides a systematic taxonomy of the vast array of other conspiracies he has promoted, categorizing them by target and theme to reveal the coherent, albeit factually baseless, worldview they collectively construct. Finally, Part III synthesizes these findings to analyze the specific rhetorical mechanisms, the socio-psychological motivations of his audience, and the severe, lasting consequences of this unprecedented political strategy on democratic norms, institutional trust, and the very concept of a shared public truth.
Part I: The Pillars of a Conspiratorial Worldview
This section provides a deep analysis of the three overarching conspiracy narratives that have most defined Donald Trump's political identity and have had the most profound impact on American politics. These are not merely individual falsehoods but sprawling, multi-year campaigns that served as the cornerstones of his political project.
Chapter 1: The "Birther" Campaign and the Politics of Delegitimization
The "Birtherism" conspiracy theory, which baselessly alleged that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States and was therefore ineligible for the presidency, served as the foundational act of Donald Trump's political career. It was not an isolated foray into conspiratorial thinking but the "pilot program" for his entire political methodology. The tactics he honed during this period—leveraging media celebrity to amplify a fringe narrative, positioning himself as a lone truth-teller against a corrupt establishment, and ultimately declaring victory in the face of facts—would become the blueprint for his subsequent strategies, most notably the "Big Lie."
The Genesis and Trump's Entry
The "birther" movement's origins can be traced to fringe online circles during the 2008 Democratic primary, where anonymous emails questioning Obama's citizenship were circulated, often by ardent supporters of his rival, Hillary Clinton.1 However, there is no evidence that Clinton or her official campaign ever promoted the theory.4 For years, the narrative remained on the periphery of political discourse. It was not until the spring of 2011 that Donald Trump, then a reality television personality contemplating a presidential run, became the theory's most prominent and powerful advocate. He used his considerable media platform to single-handedly drag the conspiracy into the mainstream.1
Appearing on national television programs like "The View," Trump began to publicly question Obama's legitimacy, asking pointedly, "Why doesn't he show his birth certificate?".1 This simple question, repeated relentlessly, transformed a fringe obsession into a national media spectacle. He claimed to have "real doubts" about the legitimacy of the short-form birth certificate the Obama campaign had released in 2008 and opined that "there's at least a good chance that Barack Hussein Obama has made mincemeat out of our great and cherished Constitution".1 This campaign immediately elevated his political profile within the Republican party, causing his polling numbers among potential primary voters to surge.1
Rhetorical Strategies and Media Manipulation
Trump's birther campaign was a masterclass in media manipulation and the deployment of rhetorical strategies designed to create an unfalsifiable narrative. He carefully constructed a persona as a reluctant but essential participant in the cause, a truth-seeker compelled by emerging "facts" to investigate a potential constitutional crisis.1 He repeatedly alluded to having sent private investigators to Hawaii who were finding "incredible things," though no evidence of these investigations or their findings was ever produced.1 This tactic of hinting at secret, forthcoming evidence created a sense of suspense and suggested he possessed privileged knowledge, positioning him as a heroic figure fighting a vast cover-up.1
The strategy revealed and exploited a critical vulnerability in the American media ecosystem. The media, obligated to cover the statements of a high-profile celebrity and potential presidential candidate, found itself in a feedback loop. Every report, every interview, every fact-check—even those intended to debunk the theory—served to amplify Trump's claims and grant them a veneer of legitimacy.1 As the White House communications director at the time noted, the Trump birther campaign became a "message blocker," dominating news cycles and preventing the administration from focusing on substantive issues.1 Trump had learned that he could gain political capital not in spite of media condemnation, but because of it. For his target audience, the unified opposition of the "mainstream media" was not a sign of his falsehoods, but rather proof that he was a courageous outsider threatening a corrupt establishment. This dynamic was further enabled by the failure of mainstream Republican leaders to forcefully and unequivocally condemn the theory, fearing they would alienate a significant portion of their primary voters who were receptive to the message.8 This failure of political gatekeeping created the space for Trump's narrative to fester and grow within the party.
The Racial Subtext
The birther campaign cannot be understood apart from its racial subtext. The effort to delegitimize the nation's first African American president by questioning his very identity and "American-ness" was, as Reverend Jesse Jackson described it, a form of "coded and covert rhetoric for stirring up racial fears".1 The conspiracy was grounded in "difference" and drew upon a long history of racist appeals in American politics, representing a modern incarnation of the "Southern strategy" designed to mobilize white voters.1 Academic research has confirmed that among white Americans, belief in the birther rumor was uniquely and strongly associated with racial animus.10
Trump's rhetoric subtly played on these themes. He made a point of repeatedly using Obama's middle name, Hussein, and floated theories that the birth certificate might conceal his religion as "Muslim".1 By framing Obama as a foreign "other"—Kenyan, Muslim, Indonesian—the campaign sought to render him illegitimate in the eyes of a segment of the electorate. This strategy of "othering" was not just about birthplace; it was an attack on Obama's entire identity, designed to invalidate his presidency by casting him as an alien usurper who did not share the values or heritage of "real" Americans.
The "Conclusion" and its Aftermath
On April 27, 2011, facing immense pressure generated by Trump's media campaign, President Obama released the long-form version of his birth certificate, hoping to put an end to the "sideshows and carnival barkers".1 Trump immediately claimed victory. He declared himself "really honored" and "proud" to have played a central role in forcing the release, framing it as an achievement that no one else could have accomplished.1 This was a crucial moment in the development of his political playbook: when confronted with irrefutable facts, he did not admit error but instead pivoted, declared the mission accomplished, and took credit for resolving the very controversy he had manufactured.
However, his "conclusion" was purely strategic. He did not genuinely accept the evidence. For years afterward, he continued to sow doubt and keep the conspiracy alive. In August 2012, he tweeted, "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that Barack Obama's birth certificate is a fraud".4 In 2013, he retweeted a claim that the document was a "computer generated forgery".4 As late as 2014, he boasted, "I was the one who got Obama to release his birth certificate, or whatever that was!".4
It was not until September 16, 2016, in the midst of his presidential campaign against Hillary Clinton, that he finally issued a terse statement acknowledging that "President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period".4 This reversal was a transparent act of political expediency, designed to appease moderate voters who might be wary of a conspiracy theorist.12 In the same breath, he executed the final step of his playbook: deflection. He immediately and falsely claimed, "Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it".4 This brazen falsehood, thoroughly debunked by fact-checkers, demonstrated a core principle of his method: never apologize, never admit fault, and always shift blame to your political enemies.4 The birther campaign, from its inception to its cynical conclusion, provided the strategic template that would define his political career.
Chapter 2: "The Big Lie" and the Assault on the Democratic Process
The multifaceted conspiracy theory that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump, commonly known as "The Big Lie," represents the culmination of his conspiratorial politics. It was not a spontaneous reaction to an electoral loss but a deliberate, sustained, and systematic assault on the foundations of American democracy. This campaign escalated the strategy of delegitimization from targeting a single political figure, as seen with Birtherism, to targeting the entire democratic process itself. By attacking the integrity of votes, the reliability of voting machines, the honesty of election officials, and the peaceful transfer of power, the "Big Lie" transformed a political defeat into a narrative of an existential threat to the nation, justifying extraordinary and anti-democratic actions in response.
Sowing Doubt: The Pre-Election Narrative
The groundwork for the "Big Lie" was laid long before Election Day 2020. Throughout both his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, Trump consistently and preemptively attacked the integrity of the American electoral system, employing what has been described as a "'heads I win; tails you cheated' rhetorical strategy".15 He repeatedly told his supporters that the only way he could lose was if the election were "rigged".15 This narrative priming was crucial; it conditioned his base to view any outcome other than a decisive Trump victory with immediate and profound suspicion.
His primary target was mail-in voting, a long-established practice that was expanded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For months leading up to the election, Trump vilified mail-in ballots as inherently fraudulent and a tool for Democrats to "steal" the election, despite a lack of evidence to support these claims.15 This specific focus was strategically significant. Because mail-in ballots are often counted after in-person votes, it was widely predicted that early election night returns would favor Trump, while later counts would shift toward Joe Biden—a phenomenon dubbed the "red mirage." By preemptively declaring mail-in ballots corrupt, Trump created a built-in narrative to explain away this predictable shift as evidence of fraud rather than a normal part of the vote-counting process.
A Catalog of Falsehoods
Immediately following the election on November 3, 2020, as vote counts in key battleground states began to shift in favor of Joe Biden, Trump and his allies unleashed a torrent of specific, baseless, and often contradictory claims of widespread fraud.16 This "firehose of falsehood" was designed to overwhelm the public and create a general atmosphere of chaos and distrust.17 The allegations, all of which were investigated and dismissed by election officials, courts, and Trump's own Department of Justice, included a wide range of conspiratorial claims 16:
Rigged Voting Machines: A central tenet of the "Big Lie" was the theory that voting machines, particularly those made by Dominion Voting Systems, were part of an international communist plot to switch millions of votes from Trump to Biden. This claim was heavily promoted by Trump's legal team and allies, despite being comprehensively debunked.18
Fraudulent Ballots: Numerous claims circulated about nefarious ballot-related activities. These included allegations of mysterious late-night "ballot dumps" consisting entirely of votes for Biden, suitcases of fake ballots being secretly counted in Georgia, ballots being cast in the names of deceased persons, and thousands of ballots for Trump being destroyed.18 None of these claims were substantiated by evidence.
Corrupt Election Officials: Trump and his allies personally targeted and attacked state and local election officials, many of them fellow Republicans, who refused to bow to pressure to alter vote counts. Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, became a particular focus of Trump's ire for refusing to "find 11,780 votes" to overturn the state's result.16
Statistical Impossibilities: Proponents of the theory pointed to the statistical shifts in vote counts as prima facie evidence of fraud, ignoring the predictable patterns of how different types of ballots (in-person, mail-in, urban vs. rural) are counted and reported.
The Campaign to Overturn
The promotion of these conspiracy theories was not merely a rhetorical exercise; it was the ideological justification for an unprecedented, multi-pronged campaign to overturn the results of a democratic election.16 This effort moved from the realm of disinformation into a direct assault on legal and constitutional processes. The key components of this campaign included:
Legal Challenges: The Trump campaign and its allies filed over 60 lawsuits in state and federal courts challenging the election results. These lawsuits were almost universally dismissed by judges, including many appointed by Trump himself, for lack of evidence and legal standing.16
The "Fake Electors" Plot: In seven battleground states won by Biden, Trump's allies organized slates of fraudulent electors who signed and submitted certificates falsely claiming Trump had won their state's electoral votes. The goal was to create a pretext for Vice President Mike Pence or Congress to reject the legitimate electoral votes on January 6, 2021.21
Pressure on Officials: Trump personally engaged in a high-pressure campaign targeting key officials. This included his infamous call to the Georgia Secretary of State, as well as sustained efforts to compel the Department of Justice to publicly declare the election corrupt and to pressure Vice President Pence to unilaterally reject certified electoral votes during the January 6th joint session of Congress—an authority the Vice President does not possess.16
Consideration of Extreme Measures: In the final weeks of his presidency, Trump and his advisors reportedly considered even more radical options, including ordering the military to seize voting machines and invoking martial law.16
Culmination in Violence and the Enduring Aftermath
The sustained campaign of election denial, which relentlessly portrayed the election as stolen and the country as being on the brink of destruction, directly culminated in the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.15 At a rally just before the attack, Trump urged his supporters to "fight like hell," telling them "you'll never take back our country with weakness".22 Thousands of his supporters, many of whom were adherents of the "Big Lie" and the related QAnon conspiracy, then marched to the Capitol and violently breached the building in an attempt to stop the certification of Joe Biden's victory.23
The failure of this effort did not end the "Big Lie." On the contrary, it has become an enduring and foundational tenet of the MAGA movement and a litmus test for loyalty within the Republican Party.15 Trump has continued to insist the election was "rigged and lost," even suggesting in 2022 that he should be declared president immediately or that a new election be held.16 This persistent denialism has had profound consequences, including a deep erosion of public trust in the democratic process, the passage of more restrictive voting laws by Republican-led state legislatures, and ongoing efforts to install election deniers in key government positions overseeing future elections.15 The entire effort has resulted in multiple federal and state indictments against Trump and his co-conspirators on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States and racketeering, legally codifying the attempt to overturn the election as a criminal enterprise.16 The "Big Lie" has thus evolved from a post-election grievance into a permanent, institutionalized political project aimed at challenging the legitimacy of any election that does not produce the desired outcome.
Chapter 3: The Savior in the Storm: Trump's Symbiotic Relationship with QAnon
The relationship between Donald Trump and the QAnon movement is one of the most remarkable and disturbing phenomena in modern American politics. It represents a symbiotic partnership in which a sprawling, apocalyptic meta-conspiracy theory cast a sitting president as its messianic hero, and the president, in turn, gradually moved from tacit acknowledgment to overt embrace of the movement, leveraging its fanatical loyalty for his own political ends. This dynamic goes beyond simple base mobilization; it cultivates a form of support that approaches religious devotion, rendering followers immune to factual refutation and intensely loyal in the face of any and all criticism.
Understanding QAnon
QAnon is a far-right, pro-Trump conspiracy theory that first emerged in October 2017 on the anonymous imageboard 4chan.23 Its central, fabricated claim is that a cabal of Satan-worshipping, cannibalistic pedophiles, composed primarily of Democratic politicians, Hollywood elites, and "deep state" officials, operates a global child sex trafficking ring.23 According to the theory, Donald Trump was secretly recruited by the military to run for president specifically to combat this cabal. His presidency, therefore, is not a normal political administration but a covert military operation to expose, arrest, and execute these powerful figures in a long-awaited day of reckoning known as "The Storm".23
The theory's name derives from its anonymous progenitor, "Q," who claimed to be a high-level government official with "Q clearance," giving them access to classified information.23 Q's cryptic posts, known as "drops" or "breadcrumbs," provided the raw material for the narrative. The movement's origin is directly tied to a phrase Trump himself used in October 2017 to describe a gathering of military leaders, which he enigmatically called "the calm before the storm".23 For believers, this was the first of many signals that Trump was in on the plan. This structure turned politics into an interactive game, where followers were not passive consumers of information but active "digital soldiers" and "bakers" tasked with decoding Q's clues and "doing their own research" to uncover the vast conspiracy.30 This gamification of political belief is a powerful indoctrination tool, giving adherents a sense of agency and privileged knowledge that makes them deeply invested in the narrative and highly resistant to outside information.
From Wink to Embrace: A Timeline of Engagement
Trump's engagement with QAnon evolved through distinct phases, moving from calculated ambiguity to an open and enthusiastic embrace.
Early Stages (2018–2020): Plausible Deniability. As QAnon supporters, identifiable by their "Q" signs and shirts, began appearing at his rallies in 2018, the official White House stance was one of condemnation.23 Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stated that the president "condemns and denounces any group that would incite violence".33 During this period, however, Trump began to use his Twitter account to amplify Q-promoting accounts, providing the movement with mainstream exposure while maintaining a degree of plausible deniability.23
Courting the Movement (2020): Encouragement and Validation. By the 2020 election campaign, his posture had shifted significantly. When asked directly about QAnon in August 2020, he praised its supporters, stating, "I heard that these are people that love our country".35 When a reporter summarized the theory's core tenet—that he was saving the world from a satanic cult of pedophiles—Trump did not disavow it. Instead, he responded with a question and an offer: "Is that supposed to be a bad thing? … If I can help save the world from problems, I'm willing to do it".35 This was a watershed moment, interpreted by QAnon followers as a direct validation of their beliefs from the hero of their narrative.
Overt Amplification (2022–Present): Full Embrace. After leaving office and launching his Truth Social platform, any remaining ambiguity was abandoned. Trump's engagement became overt and frequent. An analysis in September 2022 found that of 75 accounts he had recently reposted, more than a third were promoting QAnon slogans and imagery.36 He began closing his rallies with a song titled "WWG1WGA," the acronym for the QAnon slogan "Where We Go One, We Go All".36 He posted an image of himself wearing a "Q" lapel pin with the words "The Storm is Coming".36 This evolution marked the completion of a "symbiotic relationship" where Trump provided the movement with ultimate validation, and the movement provided him with a fanatically loyal base.37
The Role of Trump in the QAnon Narrative
Within the QAnon belief system, Trump is a messianic figure, the central protagonist in a cosmic struggle between good and evil.31 This reframing of political support into a form of religious devotion is what makes the movement such a potent political force. Believers do not see Trump as a mere politician who can be judged on policy or performance; they see him as a prophesied savior. Consequently, any attack on Trump—from the media, the justice system, or political opponents—is not perceived as legitimate criticism but as an attack by the evil "cabal" he is fighting. This dynamic creates an impenetrable shield against any negative information and serves as a powerful loyalty multiplier.
Followers meticulously analyze Trump's every word and action for "crumbs" or coded messages that confirm the plan is proceeding.22 Mundane events are imbued with profound meaning: Trump sipping from a water bottle was interpreted as a sign that mass arrests were imminent; the number of flags on a stage at a farewell address was seen as a coded message to the faithful.23 This process of collective interpretation creates a "mutually reinforced shared reality" between Trump and his QAnon followers, insulating them from the consensus reality shared by the rest of society.30
Consequences and Convergence
The convergence of the QAnon narrative with Trump's "Big Lie" about the 2020 election proved to be an explosive combination. For many QAnon adherents, the "stolen" election was the ultimate act of the deep state cabal to thwart their hero. The "Stop the Steal" movement and the subsequent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, were seen by many believers as the long-awaited start of "The Storm".23 QAnon followers were heavily represented among those who stormed the Capitol, driven by the belief that they were acting on Trump's secret orders to take back the country from the pedophilic cabal.23 The violence of that day was a direct, real-world consequence of Trump's cultivation and amplification of this dangerous conspiracy theory, which the FBI had identified as a potential domestic terrorism threat as early as 2019.30
Part II: A Taxonomy of Trumpian Conspiracies
Beyond the foundational pillars of Birtherism, the "Big Lie," and QAnon, Donald Trump has promoted a vast and diverse array of other conspiracy theories. When examined systematically, these disparate claims are not random or disconnected. They form a coherent, internally consistent, albeit factually baseless, worldview. This "Conspiracy of Everything" serves to reinforce a single, grand narrative: that Donald Trump is a heroic outsider under constant assault from a vast network of corrupt, evil, and powerful enemies who control every lever of power and seek to destroy him and, by extension, the nation itself. The targets of these conspiracies are not arbitrary; they systematically align with the key institutions and sources of authority in a liberal democratic society—political opponents, the justice system, the press, science, and empirical reality itself. This pattern reveals a strategic assault on every independent entity that could potentially constrain his power.
The following table provides a taxonomy of the major conspiracy theories Trump has promoted, organizing them by category to illustrate these recurring themes and strategic functions.
Category
Specific Theory
Core Claim
Example of Trump's Promotion
Political Opponents
Clinton Body Count
The Clintons have assassinated political foes.
Called Vince Foster's suicide "very fishy" 40; shared stories linking them to Jeffrey Epstein's death.40
Seth Rich Murder
DNC staffer Seth Rich, not Russia, leaked DNC emails and was killed for it.
Allegedly reviewed and pushed for the publication of a false Fox News story on the theory.45
Ted Cruz's Father & JFK
Rafael Cruz was with Lee Harvey Oswald before the JFK assassination.
"His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being—you know, shot".19
Spygate / "Wires Tapped"
The Obama administration illegally wiretapped Trump Tower during the 2016 election.
"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process".40
Corrupt Science & Medicine
Vaccines Cause Autism
Childhood vaccinations are linked to a rise in autism.
Tweeted: "Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changes - AUTISM".19
Climate Change Hoax
Global warming is a hoax created by the Chinese to harm U.S. manufacturing.
Tweeted: "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese...".19
Windmills Cause Cancer
The noise from wind turbines causes cancer.
Stated in a speech: "They say the noise [of wind turbines] causes cancer".40
Corrupted Statistics
Official data (COVID deaths, hurricane tolls, unemployment) is fabricated for political reasons.
Claimed the Hurricane Maria death toll of 3,000 was a Democratic plot to make him look bad 40; called Obama-era unemployment numbers "phony".40
Clandestine Opposition
The "Deep State"
A network of unelected bureaucrats and intelligence officials secretly controls government and thwarts his agenda.
Repeatedly claims to be a victim of "unelected deep state operatives" 50; has posted 56 times on Truth Social about his intent to destroy the "deep state".51
George Soros
The billionaire philanthropist funds and orchestrates all opposition, from protests to migrant caravans.
Claimed Soros funded both the protests against Justice Kavanaugh's nomination and Central American migrant caravans.19
Paid Protestors / Antifa
Protests against him are not organic but are funded by wealthy liberals or organized by the "terrorist" group Antifa.
Suggested protestors were funded by "some very stupid rich people" and alleged they were paid by Democrats.19
Vulnerable Groups
Immigrant Invasion
The Mexican government intentionally sends criminals across the border; migrant caravans constitute an "invasion."
Famously stated: "They're sending people that have lots of problems... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists".2
Muslim Celebrations on 9/11
"Thousands and thousands" of Muslims in Jersey City cheered the collapse of the World Trade Center.
Claimed to have personally witnessed these celebrations, a claim for which there is no evidence.19
White Genocide/Replacement
Non-white immigrants are being brought in to replace and disempower white, native-born voters.
Promoted themes central to the "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, particularly regarding immigration from Latin America.19
Chapter 4: Enemies of the People: Targeting Political Rivals and the "Deep State"
A primary function of Donald Trump's conspiracism is to serve as a potent political weapon, transforming policy disagreements and political opposition into sinister, criminal plots. This strategy aims to neutralize rivals and institutions that challenge his authority by recasting them not as legitimate adversaries in a democratic system, but as illegitimate, evil actors in a Manichean struggle for the nation's soul.
The cluster of conspiracy theories targeting Bill and Hillary Clinton provides a clear example of this method. Trump did not merely criticize Hillary Clinton's policies; he resurrected and amplified a universe of long-discredited right-wing conspiracies to portray the Clintons as murderous criminals. He gave credence to the "Clinton Body Count" narrative, a baseless theory alleging the couple has assassinated dozens of political foes.52 Most notably, during the 2016 campaign, he described the 1993 suicide of White House aide Vince Foster as "very fishy," insinuating foul play despite five official investigations ruling it a suicide.40 Similarly, he has shared social media posts speculating that the Clintons were involved in the 2019 death of Jeffrey Epstein.40 He and his allies also promoted the conspiracy theory surrounding the 2016 murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich, suggesting Rich, not Russia, was the source of leaked DNC emails and was killed as a result—a theory Trump allegedly wanted published to deflect from the Russia investigation.19 The purpose of these claims is to move the political contest out of the realm of debate and into the realm of criminality, delegitimizing his opponents in the most absolute terms.
This same logic underpins his promotion of the "deep state" conspiracy theory. The term, which originated in analyses of states like Turkey to describe unaccountable military and intelligence networks, was appropriated by Trump and his allies to describe a supposed cabal of unelected bureaucrats, intelligence officials, and judges working to sabotage his presidency.53 In Trump's telling, the "deep state" is a flexible and all-encompassing enemy responsible for any and all opposition to his agenda.54 This narrative serves a crucial strategic function: it allows him to reframe any form of institutional oversight or legal accountability as an illegitimate coup attempt. The Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election was not a legitimate law enforcement inquiry but a "witch hunt" orchestrated by the deep state, a "Russia hoax".19 The FBI and Department of Justice are not independent institutions but are filled with "RINOs and with Democrats" who have been "weaponized" to persecute conservatives.51 By defining any institutional check on his power as part of a vast, treasonous conspiracy, Trump seeks to invalidate the very concept of the rule of law and accountability.
Chapter 5: The War on Reality: Denying Science, Medicine, and Statistics
A second major category of Donald Trump's conspiracism involves a direct assault on empirical reality and expert consensus. This "war on reality" is a critical component of creating a post-truth political environment where objective facts are subordinate to political loyalty and narrative. By discrediting entire fields of knowledge and the very idea of verifiable data, he seeks to make his own assertions the sole source of truth for his followers.
His promotion of scientific and medical denialism is a prime example. For years, Trump has repeatedly and publicly suggested a link between childhood vaccines and autism, a claim that has been thoroughly and conclusively debunked by decades of scientific research.19 He has tweeted claims like, "Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changes - AUTISM," and shared anecdotes about employees' children developing the condition after vaccination.19 In a press conference, he stated his opposition to the MMR vaccine was "based on what I feel".46 This rejection of medical consensus is not an isolated incident. He has similarly dismissed the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, famously tweeting in 2012 that "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive".19 He has since referred to climate change as a "con job," a "scam," and a "hoax" in a speech before the United Nations.48 These attacks are not simply expressions of skepticism; they are strategic efforts to discredit fields of expertise whose findings are inconvenient to his political and economic goals, such as deregulation and the promotion of fossil fuels.
This attack on expertise extends to the politicization of basic data. Trump has a long history of casting doubt on official government statistics that he finds politically disadvantageous. During the 2016 election, he repeatedly called the official unemployment numbers under the Obama administration "phony" and suggested the real rate might be as high as 42 percent.40 As president, he applied this same tactic to death tolls. After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, he rejected the official, scientifically validated estimate that approximately 3,000 people had died, claiming without evidence that "3000 people did not die" and that the number was inflated by Democrats "in order to make me look as bad as possible".40 He later employed a similar strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that death counts were being systematically overcounted.19 By labeling verifiable data as politically motivated fabrications, he undermines the possibility of a shared, factual basis for public debate, creating a political environment where the only "facts" that matter are those that align with his preferred narrative.
Chapter 6: Scapegoats and Fifth Columns: Conspiracies Targeting Vulnerable Groups
A third, and particularly dangerous, category of Donald Trump's conspiracism involves the targeting and scapegoating of marginalized and vulnerable populations. This is a classic authoritarian tactic used to stoke fear, create an "us vs. them" mentality, and deflect blame for societal problems onto an easily identifiable out-group. These conspiracies often portray these groups not as fellow citizens or people seeking refuge, but as an existential threat—a fifth column working to undermine the nation from within.
Immigrants and ethnic minorities have been the most frequent targets of these narratives. From the moment he announced his candidacy, Trump has promoted the conspiracy that the Mexican government is part of a plot to intentionally send its worst citizens—"murderers, rapists, and drug dealers"—across the border.2 He has repeatedly framed immigration as an "invasion," embracing conspiracy theories about Central American migrant caravans being filled with "Gang Members and some very bad people" and possibly funded by his political opponents.40 This rhetoric aligns closely with the tenets of the white nationalist "Great Replacement" or "White Genocide" conspiracy theory, which posits that non-white immigrants are being deliberately brought into Western countries to politically and culturally displace the white population—a theory Trump has endorsed and promoted.19 These claims serve to transform a complex policy debate into a narrative of national survival, stoking racial resentment and justifying hardline, often cruel, immigration policies.
Muslim-Americans have also been a consistent target. Trump's most notorious claim in this vein is his baseless assertion that he witnessed "thousands and thousands" of people in Jersey City, an area with a large Arab-American population, cheering as the World Trade Center towers fell on September 11, 2001.19 Despite the complete lack of evidence for this claim, he has never retracted it. He has also promoted the theory that Syrian refugees and Muslims more generally are secret ISIS terrorists, suggesting that there are "giant networks of Muslim-Americans who aided, abetted, and continue to cover-up terrorist attacks".2 By portraying an entire religious group as a disloyal and dangerous "enemy within," these conspiracies serve to justify discriminatory policies and create a permissive environment for hate and violence against that community.2
Part III: Mechanisms, Motivations, and Consequences
The preceding analysis has documented and categorized the vast array of conspiracy theories promoted by Donald Trump. This final section synthesizes these findings to provide a holistic analysis of the phenomenon. It examines the specific rhetorical and media strategies that make his conspiratorial messaging so effective, explores the socio-psychological factors that make his audience so receptive, and assesses the tangible and lasting damage this political strategy has inflicted on American democratic norms and institutions.
Chapter 7: The Art of the Conspiracy: Rhetorical Strategies and Media Manipulation
Donald Trump's success as a "conspiracy advocate" is not accidental; it is rooted in a set of sophisticated, if unorthodox, communication techniques that are highly effective at seeding and spreading conspiratorial narratives in the modern media environment. These strategies are designed to bypass traditional gatekeepers, create self-reinforcing information bubbles, and make falsehoods resilient to correction.
A core technique is the relentless use of repetition. Trump is conscious of the fact that repeating a falsehood, no matter how outlandish, increases its familiarity and thus its perceived plausibility—a psychological phenomenon known as the illusory truth effect.17 His instruction to his White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, to "keep repeating something" because "it doesn't matter what you say," is a direct acknowledgment of this as a deliberate strategy.17 Fact-checkers have noted that Trump repeats some false claims so frequently that they qualify for a special category, the "Bottomless Pinocchio," indicating a conscious campaign of disinformation.17
Trump masterfully employs rhetoric of insinuation and plausible deniability. He frequently introduces a conspiracy theory not as a direct assertion, but as a question or a report on what "people are saying".1 This allows him to inject the toxic idea into the public discourse while maintaining a degree of separation, forcing the media to cover the allegation and giving him the ability to later deny he ever endorsed it. His discussion of the Vince Foster conspiracy is a classic example: "I don't bring it up because I don't know enough to really discuss it… I will say there are people who continue to bring it up because they think it was absolutely a murder".44 This tactic, combined with his frequent use of social media platforms like Twitter and Truth Social, allows him to amplify fringe accounts and narratives directly to millions of followers, bypassing the editorial filter of traditional media and granting fringe ideas a massive platform.23
Finally, he utilizes a strategy that has been academically termed "webbing".1 When one line of conspiratorial attack is debunked, he does not abandon the conspiracy but seamlessly pivots to a new, related accusation, creating a constantly moving target that is impossible to definitively refute. This was perfected during the birther campaign: once the short-form birth certificate was presented, the focus shifted to demanding the long-form certificate; once that was released, the goalposts moved again to demanding Obama's college transcripts.1 This creates an endless "investigation" where the lack of dispositive evidence for one claim is simply supplanted by a new, equally baseless claim, ensuring the overarching narrative of a cover-up remains intact.
Chapter 8: The Believers: Political Identity and the Appeal of Alternative Realities
The effectiveness of Trump's conspiratorial messaging cannot be understood without examining the socio-psychological factors that make his audience so receptive. His rhetoric does not create belief in a vacuum; rather, it taps into and amplifies pre-existing currents of distrust, alienation, and identity politics.
Trump's messaging resonates most powerfully with a segment of the population that already harbors deep-seated distrust for mainstream institutions. Decades of declining trust in government, the media, academia, and science have created fertile ground for narratives that posit these institutions are corrupt and deceptive.3 When Trump attacks the "fake news media," the "deep state," or the scientific establishment, he is not introducing a new idea but validating a suspicion that his followers already hold. His conspiracy theories provide a simple, compelling, and emotionally satisfying explanation for this feeling of alienation: these institutions are not just failing, they are actively conspiring against you and the nation.
Belief in Trump's conspiracies has thus become a powerful marker of political and social identity. To accept the "Big Lie" or to believe in the "deep state" is to signal one's membership in the MAGA movement and loyalty to Trump himself. This creates a powerful in-group dynamic where believers see themselves as enlightened patriots who have access to the "real" truth, while outsiders are viewed as either brainwashed "sheep" or malevolent members of the conspiracy.59 This identity-protective cognition makes believers highly resistant to factual correction, as abandoning the conspiracy would mean not just admitting a factual error, but betraying their social group and their own identity.
Furthermore, psychological research demonstrates that conspiracy theories appeal to fundamental human needs for security, certainty, and belonging, particularly during times of social and economic anxiety.59 Trump's narratives provide simple answers to complex and frightening problems. They identify clear villains (the globalist cabal, the deep state, immigrants) and present a heroic savior (Trump) who is single-handedly fighting to protect the in-group. This Manichean worldview, a stark battle between good and evil, can be psychologically comforting, offering a sense of order and moral clarity in a confusing world.
Chapter 9: The Reckoning: Assessing the Damage to Democratic Norms and Institutions
The mainstreaming of conspiracy theories by a major political leader is not a harmless rhetorical game. It has inflicted tangible, severe, and potentially lasting damage on American democratic norms, institutions, and public safety. The consequences can be categorized into three main areas: epistemic collapse, incitement to violence, and institutional decay.
The most profound and systemic impact is the acceleration of epistemic collapse—the breakdown of a shared, fact-based reality that is essential for the functioning of a democratic society.3 When a significant portion of the populace is convinced that elections are fraudulent, that scientific consensus is a politically motivated hoax, and that the justice system is merely a tool for persecuting political enemies, the common ground for public debate and compromise dissolves. Politics ceases to be a process of negotiating different interests based on a shared set of facts and becomes a zero-sum struggle between two irreconcilable realities. This erosion of truth creates an environment where accountability becomes impossible. Every negative news story is "fake news," every investigation is a "witch hunt," every electoral loss is "rigged." This creates an unfalsifiable shield against any form of accountability, transforming politics into a raw power struggle where loyalty is the only metric of truth.
This rhetorical strategy has repeatedly spilled over into real-world political violence. The connection is direct and causal. The "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory, which Trump and his campaign amplified, led an armed man to fire a rifle inside a Washington, D.C. pizzeria in 2016.3 His rhetoric targeting vulnerable groups, such as framing immigrants as violent invaders, creates a permissive environment for hate crimes and vigilantism.2 Most significantly, the January 6th Capitol attack was the direct and foreseeable result of the "Big Lie" and QAnon narratives that Trump relentlessly promoted for months.16 The attack demonstrated in the starkest possible terms that when a leader convinces millions of people that their country is being stolen by a malevolent, criminal conspiracy, some of them will turn to violence.
Finally, Trump's use of conspiracy theories has caused severe institutional damage. His campaign to overturn the 2020 election has led to criminal indictments against him and numerous associates, a historic legal fallout from acting on conspiratorial beliefs.16 His constant attacks on the "deep state" have demoralized the professional, non-partisan civil service and intelligence agencies, leading to an exodus of expertise and threatening national security.54 Furthermore, these conspiracies serve as the public justification for authoritarian actions and plans. The "deep state" narrative is used to rationalize plans like Project 2025, which calls for dismantling the independent civil service and replacing it with political loyalists.28 The "Big Lie" was the predicate for attempting to pressure election officials and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.16 In this way, the conspiracies are not the endpoint, but the means to an end: the erosion of democratic checks and balances and the consolidation of personal power.
Conclusion: A New Political Paradigm
The analysis presented in this report demonstrates that Donald Trump's engagement with conspiracy theories is a central, calculated, and highly effective component of his political strategy. He has not been a passive participant in the spread of misinformation but an active and influential "conspiracy advocate" who has fundamentally altered the American political landscape. By systematically promoting narratives like Birtherism, the "Big Lie," and QAnon, he has successfully mobilized a political base grounded not in shared policy preferences, but in a shared, alternative reality defined by suspicion, grievance, and a profound distrust of democratic institutions.
His methodology—a combination of relentless repetition, media manipulation, strategic insinuation, and the constant shifting of goalposts—has proven remarkably resilient to fact-checking and media scrutiny. It has exploited and deepened existing societal divisions, creating a loyal following that is largely insulated from countervailing information. For this segment of the electorate, belief in the conspiracies is not a failure of reasoning but an affirmation of identity and an act of rebellion against a perceived corrupt establishment.
The consequences of this strategy have been severe. It has led to a state of "epistemic collapse," where a common factual basis for political discourse is dangerously eroded. It has directly inspired political violence, culminating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. And it has inflicted lasting damage on the credibility and functioning of core democratic institutions, including the electoral system, the justice system, the free press, and the non-partisan civil service. The conspiracies serve as the public justification for anti-democratic and authoritarian tactics, reframing assaults on the rule of law as necessary battles against a shadowy "deep state" or a stolen election.
Ultimately, Donald Trump's presidency was not an anomaly but the successful culmination of a political project rooted in conspiracism. He has demonstrated that a major political movement in the 21st century can be built and sustained on a foundation of shared, evolving, and weaponized falsehoods. This has established a new and durable paradigm in American politics, one that fundamentally alters the relationship between voters, leaders, and the truth. The long-term consequences of this shift—for the stability of the republic and the future of democratic governance—will continue to unfold for years to come.
Works cited
Make America Hate Again: Donald Trump and the Birther Conspiracy, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://repository.gonzaga.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=jhs
If Trump's rhetoric around conspiracy theories follows him to the White House, it could lead to the violation of rights, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/65952/1/blogs.lse.ac.uk-If%20Trumps%20rhetoric%20around%20conspiracy%20theories%20follows%20him%20to%20the%20White%20House%20it%20could%20lead%20to%20the%20vio%5B1%5D.pdf
Trump's endless toying with conspiracy theories has finally come back to bite him | Moira Donegan | The Guardian, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/18/trump-conspiracy-theories-epstein
Trump on Birtherism: Wrong, and Wrong - FactCheck.org, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.factcheck.org/2016/09/trump-on-birtherism-wrong-and-wrong/
Was Hillary Clinton the Original 'Birther'? - FactCheck.org, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.factcheck.org/2015/07/was-hillary-clinton-the-original-birther/
The Causes and Consequences of “Birtherism” Philip Klinkner Hamilton College pkli, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.wpsanet.org/papers/docs/Birthers.pdf
Fact-checking Donald Trump's claim Hillary Clinton ... - PolitiFact, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2016/sep/16/donald-trump/fact-checking-donald-trumps-claim-hillary-clinton-/
A Short History of Trump's Birtherism (And How The GOP Reacted), accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.thecontrarianconservative.com/blog/2017/11/29/a-short-history-of-trumps-birtherism-and-how-the-gop-reacted
Trump, O'Reilly spar over birther issue - CBS News, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-oreilly-spar-over-birther-issue/
The Genesis of the Birther Rumor: Partisanship, Racial Attitudes, and Political Knowledge, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-race-ethnicity-and-politics/article/genesis-of-the-birther-rumor-partisanship-racial-attitudes-and-political-knowledge/8C13EDF7D45A475E97B5D2B35BC8979E
Donald Trump Admits President Obama Was Born in the U.S. | TIME, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://time.com/4496913/donald-trump-barack-obama-birther/
Trump Walks-Back Long-Debunked Birther Conspiracy-Why? - YouTube, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOfyRhodLik
Trump: I reversed birther stance 'to get on with' campaign | KSL.com, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.ksl.com/article/41572723/trump-i-reversed-birther-stance-to-get-on-with-campaign
AP fact check: Trump's bogus birtherism claim about Clinton | PBS News, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ap-fact-check-trumps-bogus-birtherism-claim-clinton
Election denial movement in the United States - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_denial_movement_in_the_United_States
Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election ..., accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempts_to_overturn_the_2020_United_States_presidential_election
False or misleading statements by Donald Trump - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_or_misleading_statements_by_Donald_Trump
PolitiFact, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.politifact.com/videos/how-both-republican-and-democratic-election-expert/
List of conspiracy theories promoted by Donald Trump - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conspiracy_theories_promoted_by_Donald_Trump
Why Future Federal Reports on Election Security May Be Unreliable, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/why-future-federal-reports-election-security-may-be-unreliable
Trump fake electors plot - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_fake_electors_plot
Expert decodes Trump talk, Q codes, and road to insurrection - Futurity, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.futurity.org/trump-communication-supporters-2501462-2/
QAnon - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAnon
FOCUS: Conspiracy theories around ex-PM's death to be tested in shooter's trial, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/63731
"Biggest scandal in American history": Donald Trump calls for DOJ investigation into alleged 2020 election rigging, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.aninews.in/news/world/us/biggest-scandal-in-american-history-donald-trump-calls-for-doj-investigation-into-alleged-2020-election-rigging20251027050146
‘Far bigger scandal’: Donald Trump compares NBA gambling row to 2020 elections; urges DOJ probe, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/far-bigger-scandal-donald-trump-compares-nba-gambling-row-to-2020-elections-urges-doj-probe/articleshow/124838451.cms
Padilla, Colleagues Warn Trump May Declare Election-Related National Emergency After White House Hires Prominent Election Denier to Reexamine 2020 Election Results, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-colleagues-warn-trump-may-declare-election-related-national-emergency-after-white-house-hires-prominent-election-denier-to-reexamine-2020-election-results/
With Disinformation and Threats of Prosecution, Trump Administration Targets Elections, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://blog.ucs.org/liza-gordon-rogers/with-disinformation-and-threats-of-prosecution-trump-administration-targets-elections/
23-939 Trump v. United States (07/01/2024) - Supreme Court, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf
QAnon | Meaning, Beliefs, & Conspiracy Theory | Britannica, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/QAnon
Code Words and Crumbs: Deciphering QAnon Messaging | Brandeis Magazine, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.brandeis.edu/magazine/2022/summer/inquiry/qanon.html
How the false, fringe 'QAnon' conspiracy theory aims to protect Trump - YouTube, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8UhTT2txHI
Why People Believe QAnon's Trump Conspiracy Theory - Time Magazine, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://time.com/5356851/what-is-qanon/
WATCH: Trump dodges question on QAnon conspiracy theory | PBS News, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-trump-holds-white-house-briefing
WATCH: Trump says QAnon conspiracists 'love our country' | PBS News, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-trump-holds-white-house-news-conference-4
Trump begins openly embracing and amplifying false fringe QAnon ..., accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-begins-openly-embracing-and-amplifying-false-fringe-qanon-conspiracy-theory
How Trump's embrace of conspiracy theories kept the Epstein case in the spotlight - PBS, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-trumps-embrace-of-conspiracy-theories-kept-the-epstein-case-in-the-spotlight
The QAnon Conspiracy Theory and the Assessment of Its Believers, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://jaapl.org/content/early/2022/02/18/JAAPL.210053-21
QAnon's 'Great Awakening' failed to materialize. What's next could be worse - The Guardian, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/20/qanon-biden-inauguration-trump-antisemitism-white-nationalism
20 Conspiracy Theories Trump Has Pushed Before and During His Presidency, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.americanprogressaction.org/article/20-conspiracy-theories-trump-pushed-presidency/
A Guide To The Many Conspiracy Theories Donald Trump Has Embraced - KPBS, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/05/24/a-guide-to-the-many-conspiracy-theories-donald
Suicide of Vince Foster - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Vince_Foster
CNN's Jake Tapper slams Donald Trump for dredging up Vince Foster conspiracy theories, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://theweek.com/speedreads/626264/cnns-jake-tapper-slams-donald-trump-dredging-vince-foster-conspiracy-theories
Trump: suicide of Bill Clinton's counsel Vince Foster 'very fishy' – as ..., accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/may/23/campaign-president-2016-live-updates-trump-clinton-sanders-polling
The strange case of Fox News, Trump and the death of young ..., accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/aug/07/seth-rich-trump-white-house-fox-news
Experts push back on Trump's tying autism to childhood vaccines ..., accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-health/experts-push-back-trumps-tying-autism-childhood-vaccines-tylenol
Donald Trump on vaccines: 'It's not helpful', experts say - The Guardian, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/17/donald-trump-vaccines-autism-debate
'Con,' 'scam,' 'hoax': Trump's UN speech on climate - E&E News by ..., accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.eenews.net/articles/con-scam-hoax-trumps-un-speech-on-climate/
Trump Calls Climate Change 'Con Job' and 'Scam' in UN Speech - Time Magazine, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://time.com/7319744/trump-un-speech-climate-change/
Donald Trump and 'the deep-state' - YouTube, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk8V4kOugyc
Trump has said he wants to destroy the “deep state” 56 times on ..., accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/trump-has-said-he-wants-to-destroy-the-deep-state-56-times-on-truth-social/
Clinton body count conspiracy theory - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_body_count_conspiracy_theory
Deep state - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_state
Gov Exec: Deconstructing the Deep State - Government Executive, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.govexec.com/feature/gov-exec-deconstructing-deep-state/
What is the 'deep state' that Trump keeps talking about? | The Bottom Line - YouTube, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpxEjtMGMV4
Deep state conspiracy theory in the United States - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_state_conspiracy_theory_in_the_United_States
Trump called climate change a 'con job' at the United Nations. Here are the facts and context - PBS, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-called-climate-change-a-con-job-at-the-united-nations-here-are-the-facts-and-context
Trump shares social media posts with QAnon phrases and calls for jailing lawmakers, special counsel | AP News, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-social-media-conspiracy-e3bbd855a2710d6b4bb4f480dd77e190
What do we know about conspiracy theories? - American Psychological Association, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/conspiracy-theories
Trump's 'deep state' dilemma - Atlantic Council, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-series/inflection-points/trumps-deep-state-dilemma/
Project 2025 - Wikipedia, accessed on October 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025
