Skip to main content
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Epstein
  • 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
  • Epstein
  • 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. Charlie Kirk calls for a DC-style takeover of “all of America's greatest cities”

    Video & Audio 08/21/25 2:45 PM EDT

  2. Steve Bannon just laid out the MAGA media playbook to subvert the midterms

    Article 08/21/25 12:38 PM EDT

  3. Eight damning new revelations about Fox’s 2020 election lies from the Smartmatic filings

    Narrative/Timeline 08/21/25 11:25 AM EDT

  4. Fox host Ainsley Earhardt on Trump's federal takeover of police: “I would love for this to happen in New York City. I hope our city is next.”

    Video & Audio 08/21/25 10:20 AM EDT

  5. Fox's Gillian Turner eviscerates Trump’s plan for museums: “Do you really want government officials getting involved?”

    Video & Audio 08/20/25 3:01 PM EDT

Pagination

  • Previous page ‹‹
  • …
  • Current page 104
  • …
  • 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