Homeland Security Worried Concerned Over “Chatter” About Trump Being Reinstated in August
Homeland security officials say they are worried about the growing chatter among conspiracy theorists about President Trump somehow being reinstalled as president in August. With no logical reason as to how or why this could occur, the Department of Homeland Security fears violence and reprisals by fringe elements on the right when such a reinstatement of the former president does not happen.
The idea has been floated by people close to the former president, including Sidney Powell, an attorney who is being sued over her claims that Mr. Trump was cheated out of re-election by a conspiracy involving the operators of voting machines and communist leaders in Venezuela, and Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO, who is also facing legal action for a series of far-fetched claims about the 2020 vote.
Former President Trump himself apparently believes that he will somehow be reinstated in August, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, although it is unclear why.
Mr. Lindell suggested the former president may have settled on the idea because he had heard others – including him – saying it publicly. While the theory has been largely dismissed as the latest in a series of substance-free predictions of the sort pushed by QAnon, reporting by Politico suggests it is being treated seriously by some within the Department of Homeland Security.
The outlet says John Cohen, a top counter-intelligence official, was asked about the August theory during a private conversation with members of Congress. He apparently said there was “serious concern” over the prediction because it feeds into the false narrative that the election was stolen from Trump and therefore raises fears of another violent reaction by his supporters.
However, Politico says that Cohen had no intelligence on any “specific” or “credible” threats of violence linked to the conspiracy theory, just a gut feeling.
In a statement to The Independent, a DHS spokesperson said, “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is focused on the nexus between violence and extremist ideologies, as well as hateful and false narratives. DHS is enhancing its ability to prevent acts of violence inspired by disinformation, conspiracy theories, and extremist narratives spread through social media and other online platforms.”
Meanwhile, Trump officially returned to the campaign trail for the first of his signature, raucous rallies since leaving the White House. The first event was held on Saturday evening in the town of Wellington, Ohio, southwest of Cleveland, and marked the start of a multi-state tour that will feature a trip to the US-Mexico border and a rally in the former president’s new home state of Florida.
At the rally, Trump attacked Anthony Gonzalez, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted for his second impeachment and backed his primary challenger, former White House aide Max Miller. He condemned what he called “woke” generals and said he was “ashamed” of the Supreme Court – three of whose nine justices he nominated – for not helping him overturn his electoral defeat to Joe Biden.
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