Aug 21, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Pence on QAnon: "I dismiss it out of hand"

Vice President Mike Pence told "CBS This Morning" on Friday that he doesn't "know anything about" the QAnon conspiracy theory, adding that he dismisses it "out of hand" when pressed.

Why it matters: President Trump said earlier this week that he does not know much about QAnon, but said its supporters "are people that love our country," drawing a wave of controversy.

  • QAnon centers on the baseless idea that some portion of America's elite are cannibals and pedophiles, engaged in a global fight to take down Trump via the "deep state."
  • A number of QAnon believers have won GOP congressional primaries, most notably Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene.
  • Trump congratulated Greene on the win despite her record of backing QAnon and espousing racist and Islamophobic remarks.

The big picture: Trump's statements this week prompted a number of prominent Republicans to speak out publicly against QAnon, including Rep. Liz Cheney, Sen. Ben Sasse, Rep. Adam Kinzinger and Jeb Bush.

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