The long afterlife of QAnon conspiracy theories haunting American politics

Ideas from QAnon’s conspiracy theory have appeared on government social media sites during Trump’s second term and continue to divide America amid social and economic crises.

By: Matthew N. Hannah, University of Wisconsin-Madison, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 25, 2026

Words: 1,077

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

By Matthew N. Hannah, University of Wisconsin-Madison

On Election Day in 2024, as voters cast their ballots, Elon Musk posted a campaign music video supporting Donald Trump’s bid for president.

Set to Van Halen’s “Jump,” with a montage of 1980s cultural references and images of Trump in various strongman poses, the video includes a line about “PATRIOTS” in which the “O” turns into a “Q,” a reference to the online conspiracy theory QAnon.

…

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us