Trump Invites Right-Wing Extremists To White House ‘Social Media Summit’
Some of the right-wing media universe’s biggest stars are set to descend on the White House Thursday for what has been billed as a “social media summit” and will likely become a forum for airing claims of anti-conservative social media bias.
In addition to inviting leaders from traditional conservative think tanks, such as the Heritage Foundation and Claremont Institute, the White House has requested the presence of far-right internet personalities and trolls, some of whom have pushed conspiracy theories, lies and misinformation.
It’s perhaps the clearest example yet of President Trump legitimizing fringe political allies.
The White House has repeatedly declined to release a list people it expects to attend, but some of the recipients have turned to social media to boast about being invited.
Among them are Bill Mitchell, a radio host who has promoted the extremist QAnon conspiracy theory on Twitter; Carpe Donktum, an anonymous troll who won a contest put on by the fringe media organization InfoWars for an anti-media meme; and Ali Alexander, an activist who attempted to smear Sen. Kamala Harris by saying she is not an “American black” following the first Democratic presidential debates.
