U.S. President Donald Trump is recycling a baseless conspiracy theory to claim that recent protests have been orchestrated by powerful people in 'dark shadows' intent on undermining his reelection prospects.
U.S. President Donald Trump tours an area on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, damaged during demonstrations after a police officer shot Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. CHICAGO -- U.S. President Donald Trump is recycling a baseless conspiracy theory to claim that recent protests have been orchestrated by powerful people in "dark shadows" intent on undermining his reelection prospects.
"We had somebody get on a plane from a certain city this weekend. And in the plane, it was almost completely loaded with thugs wearing these dark uniforms, black uniforms with gear and this and that," said Trump, adding that the matter is under investigation. "Well, I think what the president's referring to is actually what we heard in many of the cities. I know in Detroit there were a large number of arrests several weeks ago and the vast majority of people were from out of state. The same thing occurred in arrests that took place in recent cities," Pence said on Fox News Channel's "Special Report with Bret Baier."
The president has a history of elevating online conspiracy theories from his powerful podium, sometimes amplifying Twitter posts to his 85.6 million followers or dropping references to debunked claims in interviews and appearances. As the November election approaches, he's been particularly focused on the unproven notion that widespread protests against racist policing are being co-ordinated and driven by shadowy forces intent on defeating him.
Local police departments from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Payette County, Idaho, were forced to knock down similar social media rumours in June that "busloads" of rioters were coming to town. Other social media posts claimed that throngs of "antifa," a term for leftist militants, were plotting to violently disrupt cities and towns.
Trump's allies have ramped up their efforts to push similar uncorroborated theories over the past week.
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