Romney calls out Trump for not denouncing 'absurd and dangerous' QAnon conspiracy theory
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Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has rebuked President Trump for failing to denounce the "absurd" QAnon conspiracy theory, calling this part of an "alarming pattern."
Romney in a statement on Friday slammed Trump after during a town hall event on Thursday, the president declined to denounce the false QAnon conspiracy theory when asked to do so by moderator Savannah Guthrie.
"The president's unwillingness to denounce an absurd and dangerous conspiracy theory last night continues an alarming pattern: politicians and parties refuse to forcefully and convincingly repudiate groups like antifa, white supremacists and conspiracy peddlers," Romney said.
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Trump during the town hall claimed that "I know nothing about QAnon" after Guthrie explained that it's a "theory that Democrats are a satanic pedophile ring and that you are the savior of that." Guthrie asked Trump to clearly state that this is false and denounce the theory, but Trump declined to do so and instead said he has heard "they are very strongly against pedophilia, and I agree with that."
Friday's comments from Romney come just days after the Utah senator released another statement saying that he's "troubled by our politics," calling out recent attacks from Trump on Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) among others, as well as "blistering attacks" from the left, though Romney said that former Vice President Joe Biden "refuses to stoop as low as others."
Romney concluded his latest statement by suggesting that "as the parties rush down a rabbit hole, they may be opening a door to a political movement that could eventually eclipse them both."
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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