Donald Trump has flippantly okayed - or rather hasn't condemned - the so-called QAnon, a right-wing conspiracy group that believes the Republican president is fighting a Satanic plot of world elites supposedly involved in human trafficking, paedophilia, and the alleged extraction of life-prolonging chemicals from the blood of abused children.
Asked about the group targeting the "deep state" at Wednesday's White House press briefing, Trump acknowledged he "doesn’t know much about the movement other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate", POTUS pointed out. However, the words have instantly been perceived by netizens as an endorsement.
"I have heard that it is gaining in popularity", Trump said. He went on to depict the group - which he stressed he knows little of - as patriots, who "love our country" and apparently don't like seeing crime rates rise in Democratic-led cities "like Portland and places like Chicago and New York and other cities and states".
A reporter followed up, as was recounted in Vox journalist Aaron Rupar's tweet, saying that QAnon supporters believe Trump is "secretly saving the world from this Satanic cult of paedophiles and cannibals".
Trump is asked to shed light on his thoughts about about the lunatic QAnon conspiracy theory. Instead of denouncing it, he says, "I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate".
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2020
"I've heard these are people who love our country," he adds, coming close to an endorsement pic.twitter.com/gcvHvuqzIa
"I haven't heard that but is that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing?", the president dropped in response, before going on to portray at length his own line of action against "the radical left philosophy".
"If I can help save the world from problems, I'm willing to do it, I'm willing to put myself out there and we are, actually. We're saving the world from a radical left philosophy that will destroy this country and, when this country is gone, the rest of the world will follow", Trump said.
The words have been taken as a tacit endorsement by many, with one pointing to QAnon cultists having become involved in crimes, and many more followed suit:
Good lord. QAnon cultists have become increasingly implicated in violent acts, murder, kidnapping, plots against elected officials driven by their paranoia and conspiracy fixations. It's nuts that the president of the United States would validate and fawn over this delusional mob
— Wes Regan (@411Regan) August 20, 2020
QAnon members incite & engage in violence. One threatened to kill Joe Biden.
— Christopher C. Alberto (@ChrisAlbertoLaw) August 20, 2020
The FBI warns QAnon poses a potential domestic terror threat.
Just before the election, as QAnon ramps up its activities, Trump coyly invites election violence.
What's up?https://t.co/cU6wI1Aewe
'On 1 [sic] hand, I’m surprised that the Narcissistic King of Conspiracies seems to have no knowledge of the 1 where he is the supposed folk superhero of, but on the other, QAnon has been named a National Security risk and they hide that stuff from him in his security briefings", another stated while a different user believed it was "legit scary to watch" the excerpt:
"He just told millions of cult members that he's doing exactly what they believe he's doing when he clearly is not", he posted.
Another, speaking about Trump's purported endorsement, said he personally doesn't care, as long as "he’s sending men out to catch child killers".
Another, meanwhile, remarked that it's all about the "world" he is saving:
Ok. Whose world is being saved, then? Not mine. Not anybody I know. In fact, not the world belonging to the majority of us. So, it is your own little world you are saving at our expense.
— h. cou (@tentdwellers) August 19, 2020
"WHY EVEN DIGNIFY QANON BY ASKING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ABOUT IT?!", a different user queried emotionally, tweeting in caps.
