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Unpresidented

Have Conspiracy Theories Gone Mainstream?

Feb 17, 2017 | 13 videos
Video by The Atlantic

Conspiracy theorists are on the national stage like never before, says Atlantic writer Rosie Gray. Alex Jones of Infowars fame is at the forefront. He’s responsible for propagating the widespread conspiracy theories that 9/11 was an inside job and that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax, among others. Jones’s beliefs have moved from the fringes into the spotlight as his symbiotic relationship with Donald Trump has progressed. InfoWars isn’t the only media outlet that has Trump’s ear—former Breitbart News chairman Steve Bannon is the current White House chief strategist. “In the era of Trump, Breitbart has essentially become mainstream media.” Gray explains in this video. Read more of her reporting in the piece “Halcyon Days for Conspiratorial Media.”

This is the fourth episode of “Unpresidented,” an original series from The Atlantic exploring a new era in American politics.

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Authors: Daniel Lombroso, Alice Roth, Rosie Gray

About This Series

Atlantic writers explore a new era of American politics