Donald Trump is reportedly telling those close to him that he expects to be reinstated as president over the summer despite losing the 2020 election.
According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, Trump has been parroting a recent conspiracy theory that’s been popular among his QAnon followers:
One-time Trump adviser Sidney Powell made similar comments over the weekend, CNN reported. However, Powell ― who is being sued for $1.3 billion for her role in disseminating false claims about the 2020 election ― argued in court documents earlier this year that “no reasonable person” would believe her statements were factual.
In any case, there is no legal mechanism to “reinstate” a former president other than winning an election, which Trump did not do.
Michael Flynn, who briefly served as Trump’s national security adviser, recently suggested a coup, although he later denied making the comments that were captured on video, and said he was the victim of “media manipulation.”
Trump’s critics called him out over this wild new claim and all that it implies: