Trump and Mike Lee Want Long, Hot Summer of Election Denial - New York Magazine
nymag.com
Whether Trump and Mike Lee believe their noncitizen voting claims or not, elite cue theory explains how cynical conspiracy framing still shapes what millions of followers genuinely believe.
Elite Cue TheoryStrategic MisinformationMotivated ReasoningConspiracy Theory Diffusion
Theory Briefing
- Trump and Mike Lee are pushing noncitizen voting conspiracy theories, with observers questioning whether either man sincerely believes the claims.
- Elite cue theory predicts that partisan followers adopt leaders' stated beliefs regardless of the leaders' own sincerity or evidence.
- The cynical-vs-sincere ambiguity itself is a feature of strategic misinformation — it grants plausible deniability while still mobilizing a base.