(Washington Post) This election season has seen an unusual number of conspiracy theories, mostly emanating from Donald Trump. Recently, however, Trump has been the object of a conspiracy theory.
When emails from the Democratic National Committee, reportedly stolen by Russian hackers, were leaked online, many believed that Trump stood to benefit. Some commentators insinuated that Trump, who has spoken highly of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has endorsed pro-Russian policies, might be secretly doing Putin’s bidding.
Interestingly, this claim is similar in its narrative structure to Trump’s recent allegations that the upcoming election may be rigged — a claim he made as Hillary Clinton increased her lead in the polls.
What lies behind such claims? Why do so many people think they ring true? […]
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