Trump Conspiracy Theories Come to Capitol Hill
The pernicious legacy of MK-ULTRA infects thinking related to assassination attempts on the former president
From The Bulwark, we get this report on fact-free conspiracy theories about the two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump.
One of the quotes in Joe Perticone’s report reveals the pernicious legacy of MK-ULTRA. The crime spree of the CIA’s mind control program (which ran from 1952 to 1970) now serves as an all-purpose template for those who want to raise doubts about the government’s credibility.
Perticone writes:
Capitol Hill is full of conspiracy theorists. Whether we’re talking about the belief that the Great Depression was an inside job, the idea that California wildfires were the product of space lasers operated by a shadowy cabal of Jewish bankers, or a prophetic dream about “Federal squads” raiding homes, there is hardly a theory out there that someone in the 118th Congress has not considered and adopted.
The latest — and perhaps one of the most dangerous — theories to reach the halls of American power is that the recent attempted assassinations of Donald Trump were not the actions of troubled, isolated individuals, but the fruits of a larger plot.
It’s obviously important for lawmakers and federal investigators to probe every possible angle on these events, and federal agencies and congressional task forces are doing just that. But this is not that. Leaving aside expert testimony, rigorous forensics, and other features of real fact-finding work, some Republican lawmakers are instead trusting hunches and things they read on the internet to guide them to the true true.
For the rest of the story, go here.
The CIA has lost the benefit of the doubt, and rightly so. I would rather see too much skepticism of the national security state than not enough.
In my researching the JFK assassination, as well as other events of the Cold War, I often find a great amount of exaggeration and embellishment of facts. This is usually done to gain attention or for political/ personal gain. However, like all exaggerations, there's always a grain of truth involved.
In this case, while I myself doubt any existence of a direct plot by the authorities on Trump's life, there are still some disturbing facts.
That before the attempts on Trump's life, the Secret Service did not provide his campaign additional protection. This was justified for bureaucratic reasons, in spite of numerous threats against Trump's life.
That the response of the Secret Service to the attempt on Trump's life in Fulton PA, was clumsy and poorly coordinated. Certain security procedures were not followed, and many near fatal errors occurred.
That on six occasions the Secret Service denied protection to the Robert F. Kennedy campaign, in spite of numerous threats against his life and like with Trump, done for bureaucratic reasons. It was only after the first attempt on Trump's life that it was finally granted.
That throughout the campaign as well as before, a climate of fear and hatred has been created by the media and even the authorities against Donald Trump and the Republican party. In many cases where individuals implied and sometimes openly advocated for Trump's death.
In this atmosphere and with the above facts, its no wonder that many would harbor suspicions of some type of Government involvement. While I personally doubt this, I am nevertheless open to the possibility that there may have been some form of deliberate neglect on the part of individuals within the Government who did just the minimum necessary and allowed events to take their course.
If there was any involvement by outside forces, I'm more open to this hypothesis rather than some mega plot.
Personal note- I am not, nor have I ever been, a fan of Donald Trump.