<2> The Mysterious Case of Trump’s Iran Conspiracy Theory
<3> Unpacking the Origins of a Dubious Claim
<4> In the early hours of January 3, 2020, the United States launched a drone strike against Qasem Soleimani, a high-ranking Iranian military official. Hours later, former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share a cryptic post about Iran’s alleged involvement in the 2020 US presidential election.
<5> The post read: “Iran is stealing the 2020 Election. This is a major scandal and should be looked into immediately by the US Department of State – and beyond.”
<6> But what sparked Trump’s sudden interest in Iran’s supposed election meddling? And why did he choose to share this claim on Truth Social, where it would likely reach a dedicated but narrow audience?
<7> To understand the context behind Trump’s post, it’s essential to examine the conspiracy theory that has been circulating online for years. This theory posits that Iran, through its intelligence agencies, attempted to influence the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election.