Conservatives seize on a new conspiracy theory: Maybe The New York Times made that op-ed up

It's still unclear which administration official wrote an op-ed in The New York Times that described an internal "resistance" to President Trump's agenda, but some conservatives are latching on to the theory that it wasn't a government employee at all.

Conservative website The Daily Caller hypothesized Monday that "maybe the [Times'] anonymous op-ed originated from within," writing that the article could be a "hoax" concocted by Times staff. The author didn't explain why the New York Times would do such a thing, nor did they offer any evidence of such a coup, outside of a list of "the left's constant hoaxes, lies, and fake news."

"A fake op-ed is a distinct possibility," the article concluded. The conspiracy theory echoed a claim from conservative personality Candace Owens on Fox News on Sunday night. "How do we know it's not just The New York Times publishing that?" she asked, per Mediaite. While the show's hosts were not eager to consider the idea, Owens insisted that it could be a possibility, due to the lack of "transparency" from the anonymous source. "We're taking this at face value," she said.

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Whatever the case, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed Monday that Trump has asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate the identity of the author. Sanders did not specify whether that investigation would extend beyond the White House to The New York Times opinion desk. Summer Meza

Update: Geoffrey Ingersoll, editor-in-chief of The Daily Caller, told The Week in a statement that this op-ed by Armando Simon does "not represent the views of The Daily Caller."