Skip to main content
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Jeanine Pirro
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate

Media Matters for America

  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives

Media Matters for America

  • Nav
  • Search
  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Jeanine Pirro
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
QAnon Q

Molly Butler / Media Matters

QAnon supporters suggest Trump’s new deputy attorney general will fulfill conspiracy theory and institute mass arrests

Written by Alex Kaplan

Research contributions from James Reddick

Published 12/15/20 5:06 PM EST

Multiple influencers supporting the false QAnon conspiracy theory have praised the appointment of new Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue, claiming that he will carry out mass arrests of President Donald Trump’s political opponents and fulfill the conspiracy theory.

QAnon is premised on a belief that an anonymous user posting on a far-right message board and calling itself “Q” is actually a secret government official working with Trump to take down the “deep state,” his perceived enemies, and a global cabal of pedophiles (of which Democrats are a part), who will ultimately be arrested and sent to face military tribunals.

In response to the change in Justice Department leadership due to Attorney General William Barr resigning, multiple QAnon supporters with major followings on social media have suggested that Donoghue will carry out the conspiracy theory, pointing to a “Q” post from 2018 mentioning him and citing the fact that he served as a military judge and was in the same Army division as former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn -- who is a QAnon supporter himself and widely admired among the QAnon community.

QAnon Donoghue
QAnon Donoghue2
QAnon Donoghue3
QAnon Donoghue4
QAnon Donoghue5

Donoghue is not the first leader in the Justice Department to become a figure in the conspiracy theory: QAnon supporters previously lauded then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions because “Q” suggested he would prosecute Trump’s political enemies. Sessions in 2018 had appointed Donoghue to be a U.S. district attorney, something some QAnon influencers also pointed out while hyping his new appointment.

The Latest

  1. In response to interview where Trump suggests an allegedly photoshopped image was real, Fox's Greg Gutfeld lashes out at ABC News' Terry Moran

    Video & Audio 04/30/25 6:37 PM EDT

  2. Sean Hannity downplays the shrinking economy: “The GDP drop was actually supposed to be much worse”

    Video & Audio 04/30/25 5:18 PM EDT

  3. Far-right media figures are launching their own crypto coins

    Research/Study 04/30/25 4:41 PM EDT

  4. Fox anchor pleads with Gov. Andy Beshear to give Trump “a grace period” as tariffs rock the economy

    Video & Audio 04/30/25 4:11 PM EDT

  5. JB Pritzker called for mass protests. Right-wing media falsely accused him of calling for violence.

    Research/Study 04/30/25 3:44 PM EDT

Pagination

  • Previous page ‹‹
  • …
  • Current page 11
  • …
  • Next page ››

In This Article

  • QAnon Conspiracy Theory

    QAnon-Conspiracy-Theory-MMFA-Tag.png

Related

  1. Trump has repeatedly amplified QAnon Twitter accounts. The FBI has linked the conspiracy theory to domestic terror.

    Article 08/01/19 4:18 PM EDT

  2. Here are the QAnon supporters running for Congress in 2020

    Article 01/07/20 11:42 AM EST

  3. Here are the QAnon supporters running for state legislatures in 2020

    Article 07/27/20 1:02 PM EDT

Media Matters for America

Sign up for email updates
  • About
  • Contact
  • Corrections
  • Submissions
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS

© 2025 Media Matters for America

RSS