Trump adds a bizarre twist to his baseless California election conspiracy theory - MS NOW
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Trump's unfalsifiable California election conspiracy reveals a classic case of motivated reasoning — where no outcome, win or loss, can ever disprove the belief.
Motivated ReasoningUnfalsifiabilityConfirmation BiasConspiracy Theory Psychology

Theory Briefing
- Trump claims election fraud when Republicans lose in California, but also when they win — making the conspiracy logically unfalsifiable.
- Unfalsifiable beliefs are a hallmark of motivated reasoning, where the mind filters all evidence to protect a pre-held conclusion.
- This pattern shows how conspiracy theories function less as truth-seeking and more as identity reinforcement for political bases.