A Department of Justice for an Age of Conspiracy Theories
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has increasingly engaged with conspiracy theories, particularly during the second term of the Trump administration. The DOJ announced an 'anti-weaponization' fund that appears to align with narratives promoted by Trump and his supporters. This shift has led the DOJ to become an active participant in the online discourse surrounding these theories, blurring the lines between fact and fiction.
- ▪The DOJ has shifted from being a bulwark of facts to participating in the conspiracy theory ecosystem.
- ▪An 'anti-weaponization' fund was announced, seemingly in response to narratives from Trump supporters.
- ▪The DOJ's social media presence echoes far-fetched ideas popular on the right, contributing to the spread of misinformation.
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| Original publisher | The Atlantic |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/doj-conspiracy-theorists-trump/687246/?utm_source=feed |
| Publication time | 2026-05-21T11:00:28-04:00 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-21T15:06:11.139Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-21T15:09:56.630Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
IdeasA Department of Justice for an Age of Conspiracy TheoriesThe DOJ is now very much an active participant in the online discourse that promotes and perpetuates ideas that are barely connected to reality.By Quinta JurecicIllustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Kent Nishimura / AFP / GettyMay 21, 2026, 11 AM ET ShareSave Not so very long ago, the Justice Department stood as a bulwark of facts against Donald Trump’s wildest claims. During his first term, a pattern emerged: Trump would make a bizarre assertion (say, that Barack Obama had illegally wiretapped Trump Tower), a litigant would point to this assertion in court to cast doubt on the Justice Department’s arguments, and DOJ attorneys would be forced to explain to an irritated judge that the president’s statements did not actually…
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