When President Biden was sworn in Wednesday with ample pomp and little drama, much of America sighed in relief. But the lack of a last-minute military takeover and mass arrests of Democratic lawmakers — no prophesied "Storm," no "Great Awakening" — threw adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory into disarray, according to reviews of their reactions on Telegram, Gab, and other social media. The Proud Boys, a far-right group that formed in 2016 and quickly became some of former President Donald Trump's most militant supporters, "also started leaving his side," The New York Times reports.
After Trump lost his re-election bid in November, QAnon influencers, the Proud Boys, and other far-right groups stuck by his side, echoing Trump's false claim that Biden stole the election. "Hail Emperor Trump," the Proud Boys wrote in a private Telegram channel. As December turned into January, several Proud Boys urged Trump to "Cross the Rubicon." QAnon boards started promising Trump would declare martial law and seize back control for a second term, first on Jan. 6, then Inauguration Day.
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