NEW YORK (AP) — While touring the nation in 2024, Donald Trump assured his supporters that voting for President would be “our final battle.”
“We'll pursue that with you,” Destroys deep state, he reiterated throughout his campaign.
Now, four months into his second term, Trump persists in promoting dark theories involving his predecessors and powerful political figures and attorneys. Recently, he has suggested that former President Joe Biden harbors malicious intent by using automatic pens to sign documents. The administration has vowed to continue investigations and is in the process of declassifying various records, including over 63,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Yet many of Trump’s supporters believe that is insufficient.
Those who take his words seriously are anxious as they question why his administration is not unlocking the secrets of these alleged government conspiracies while denying the evidence and repercussions they had hoped for.
His Justice Department has so far not apprehended a plethora of so-called “deep state” officials, contrary to what many of his supporters desired, even though the president has shared various puzzling videos and memes about Democratic politicians.
“People are tired of being in the dark,” conservative commentator Damani Felder stated on Tim Pool’s podcast last week. “We demand answers and real transparency. That shouldn’t be too hard.”
President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Joint Base, Maryland (AP Photo/Manuel Barth Senetta)
Commitment to unveil and dismantle the “deep state”
Yotam Ophir, a communications scholar at the University of Buffalo, has long been invested in disrupting the alleged clandestine network of powerful individuals who supposedly manipulate governmental policies.
“He has created a facet of this universe, which ultimately is a fictional realm,” he stated.
Now that Trump is in power and has stocked his administration with loyalists, his supporters anticipate full disclosure. However, Joseph Usinski, a political scientist analyzing conspiracy theories at the University of Miami, posits that many of the narratives he supports are fabricated.
Clearly, the president emphasizes revenge in his second administration. He has dismissed and targeted federal employees. Law firms are imminent via executive action. He mandated the rescinding of government security clearances for political opponents and former associates who opposed him during his first term. His DOJ has fired prosecutors who investigated his actions. Career FBI agents were scrutinized who probed the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
Nevertheless, Trump’s administration hasn’t wielded power as swiftly as many of his supporters desire. They yearn for action against those who have long alleged his involvement in conspiratorial plots. FBI Director James Comey remains a notable figure. The administration also lacks evidence of the serious crime Trump claims has been perpetrated against the federal government for years.
Conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein and attempts on Trump’s life
FBI officials acknowledged that Kash Patel and his associate Dan Bongino recently dismissed two unfounded conspiracy theories that have historically fueled Trump’s base: that Jeffrey Epstein was murdered to cover up unethical activities, and that a purported assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, was orchestrated by the government.
Daniel Bongino speaks at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 10, 2020. (Michael Reynolds/Pool, File via AP)
“When you saw it, you knew about suicide, and that was the end,” Patel remarked regarding Epstein’s death in a Fox News interview.
“I reviewed the entire file,” Bongino added. “He committed suicide.”
Online conservatives are clamoring for evidence, pointing to Bongino’s previous remarks Podcast Host in suggesting the government is withholding information about Epstein.
“No matter who is elected, the foreign policy remains unchanged, the economic policy stays the same, and Epstein’s video is still hidden,” declared right-wing podcaster and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on his program.
“They claimed it wasn’t a suicide for months leading up to the election,” Newsmax host Todd Sturnes posted on X. He further added:
Attorney General Pam Bondy stated recently that FBI officials are examining “tens of thousands” of videos related to Epstein and are progressively releasing more material to safeguard the victims.
During the same Fox News segment, Bongino and Patel noted they had been briefed on Trump’s alleged assassination attempt during a July rally, with no substantial plot disclosed.
“In some circumstances, the evidence you seek simply isn’t there,” Bongino commented.
Doubt among followers of the “deep state”
This week, it seemed Bongino was on the verge of providing insights for Trump’s base. He stated the FBI would probe the planting of pipe bombs during the January 6, 2021 attacks found near the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters, along with Supreme Court leaks Dobbsv. Jackson Draft Opinion in 2022 that overturned constitutional rights regarding abortion and discoveries of cocaine found in the White House in 2023.
However, this was not enough for all his followers, especially those focusing on his X account.
“Anything that distracts you from the Epstein Files,” one user commented on his declaration. “There are no results,” countered another.
During an interview on “Fox & Friends” Thursday, Bongino hinted that the FBI would soon release footage pertaining to Epstein’s prison cell and Trump’s alleged assassination attempt.
He acknowledged public demand for transparency but called for patience, highlighting that not all information would be made public by the FBI. This did not satisfy those eager for answers regarding conspiracy theories.
“At this juncture, I am convinced that only divine intervention will conquer the deep state,” right-wing influencer Philip Anderson—who participated in the Capitol riots—expressed on X Thursday, “Kash Patel, Dan Bongino, and Pam Bondy are utterly ineffective.”
Promoting conspiracy theories as a diversion
Meanwhile, Trump continues to propagate conspiracy theories via his online platforms and elsewhere.
He shared a video this month discussing mysterious deaths allegedly associated with the Clinton family, displaying an image of former President Barack Obama alongside the message, “all roads lead to Obama and if military courts are needed, then retrout.”
Ophir, the University of Buffalo professor, remarked that this serves as a strategy to divert Trump’s base and shield him from criticism.
“When positive events unfold, it’s attributed to Trump’s brilliance and beneficial agenda,” O'Feel said. “When adverse situations arise, blame is cast on Obama, Clinton, or any adversarial force operating against him from within Washington.”
Without providing concrete evidence this week, Trump introduced a fresh theory alleging that a mechanical device called an autopen was used while he was in office, implying it weakened his authority over signing documents. He urged accountability for those operating it, suggesting they should face charges of treason.
This narrative gained traction among right-wing commentators due to Biden aides’ claims about the president hiding his mental and physical decline as he utilized an autopen for years to sign certain documents.
“Anyone using it is stripping away presidential power, and it should be straightforward to identify who that individual (or individuals) are,” Trump commented on his platform.
At least one user on his platform was unimpressed, questioning why Trump and his supporters had yet to take action against these alleged offenders.
“If it’s that simple,” came the reply from a commenter. “Why hasn’t your administration already found these criminals?”
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Source: apnews.com