Diehard QAnon followers think Trump is secretly still president and carrying out executions at White House

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Louise Thomas

Editor

Some of the most zealous followers of QAnon conspiracy theories now believe that Donald Trump is still president and is carrying out executions at the White House.

Believers in the unhinged theory that Mr Trump is Q — a leader sent to save America from a Satanic cabal of cannibals involved in a child abuse ring — were left stunned in January after he departed the White House.

Following the inauguration of Joe Biden as president, many followers have admitted to having been caught up in the fanaticism of the conspiracy, and have spoken of how they now feel they were deceived.

However, some refuse to let go and continue to grasp at wild new theories.

Ben Collins of NBC News highlighted one currently circulating amongst Facebook’s QAnon community members — that Mr Trump never actually left office, is secretly still president, and is carrying out public hangings of his “Deep State” enemies in front of the White House.

The alleged “evidence” for this theory is a doctored image that merges together photos of the security fencing around the executive mansion, what appears to be stands built for the inauguration parade, and an image that shows public executions in Kuwait in 2013.

The post refers to “10 Days of Darkness” thought by believers to indicate the executions have been ongoing for ten days.

Comments under the post are a mixture of confusion, disbelief, and bloodlust.

“Love it, love it, love it!!!” writes one person.

“Saw the gallows picture last week… but 3 hung in daylight! Wow,” says another.

“I hope these are NOT test dummies hanging there,” says a third.

The outrageous conspiracy theories and baseless allegations spread by QAnon followers were drawn into sharp focus when Marjorie Taylor Greene was elected to Congress as a representative for Georgia.

An early believer in QAnon, Ms Greene’s social media accounts showed she had called for the executions of prominent Democrats, and questioned the events of 9/11 and whether the Sandy Hook and Parkland school shootings had occurred. 

In a House vote on Thursday she was removed from committee assignments. She has since attempted to distance herself from such beliefs, claiming that is not who she is now.

How the party has dealt with Ms Green shows a growing schism forming amongst Republicans between traditional conservatives and proponents of wild conspiracy theories, or those who do not disavow them outright.

Mr Trump ceased to be president and midday on 20 January. He currently resides at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.