Experts​ Warn president risks Alienating Loyalists​ by Engaging with Conspiracy Theories

Providing more facts on controversial topics could backfire, experts say.

Experts have warned that the president risks losing a notable portion of his most loyal supporters by engaging with conspiracy theories. While the administration may believe that ⁢providing ⁣more information will‌ quell speculation, experts suggest it could be a⁣ “poisoned chalice.”

“for some portion‍ of this set of conspiracy theory believers,⁤ no amount of contradictory evidence will ever be enough,”⁤ said Josephine Lukito, who studies conspiracy theorists at the University ‍of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Melkonian agreed ⁤that the Trump administration has found itself in a ⁣”very tough catch 22.”

“[They’ve] convinced people that they’re in a cover-up,” he said. “No matter what ‌they do, it’s going too inflame this group of people. Onc they believe it, the more you deny that it exists, the more they’re going to believe it.”

Matt‌ Dallek,⁣ a political scientist at⁣ George Washington University, said it would be ⁢difficult for the Trump administration to wind back previous commentary on ⁣the conspiracy theory.

“The faulty ‌assumption Trump and⁢ others make is they can peddle conspiracy theories without ⁢any⁢ blowback,” said Dr. Dallek. “The ⁣Epstein case is a neat encapsulation that it is hard to put the genie ‍back in the bottle.”

ABC/AP