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. Fox News digital writer: “What I have concluded is” people complaining about the demolition of the East Wing “don't like the country very much”

    Video & Audio 10/24/25 10:24 AM EDT

  2. Right-wing media celebrate Trump’s revenge tour

    Research/Study 10/24/25 9:06 AM EDT

  3. Jesse Watters encourages Trump to “pardon everybody on the way out the door”

    Video & Audio 10/23/25 6:31 PM EDT

  4. Right-wing media ramp up anti-Muslim attacks on Zohran Mamdani in the final days of the NYC mayoral election

    Research/Study 10/23/25 4:21 PM EDT

  5. Nick Fuentes on Trump: “He's a hundred years old. He's losing his mind. The people in his government are fucking incompetent."

    Video & Audio 10/23/25 12:56 PM EDT

Pagination

  • Previous page ‹‹
  • …
  • Current page 10
  • …
  • 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