Will Sommer – författare

A journalist who has followed the rise of QAnon explains what it is, how it has gained a mainstream following among Republican lawmakers and ordinary citizens, the threat it poses to democracy, and how we can reach those who have embraced the conspiracy and are disseminating its lies.Over the last year, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread worldwide, so too did the pro-Trump cabal known as QAnon. What began as a fringe online conspiracy in the mid 2000s is now embraced by millions of Americans across the country—and the globe—including new members of Congress and the thousands of Trump followers, armed with guns and a variety of makeshift weapons, who attacked the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, searching for lawmakers including the Vice President, shouting “hang Mike Pence.”

Following internet clues from a mysterious figure named “Q”—who has claimed to be a high-level government insider with a Q-level clearance—QAnon adherents, fueled by paranoia and hatred of the left, believe that Donald Trump has been anointed by God to stop evil Democrats who sexually abuse, kill, and eat children; that Trump won the 2020 election that was stolen from him and will soon order mass executions of Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, the Obamas, George Soros, and many others. QAnon believers continue to spout lies and disinformation about politics and the pandemic; their beliefs have ruptured friendships and family bonds and caused untold damage.

While in office, Trump praised QAnon believers as “people who love our country,” invited them to the White House, and retweeted their crazed messages on a near-daily basis. Though he is gone, the threat of widespread violence from his acolytes—“the Storm is coming”—remains high. What can we do about Q''s growing platform? Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer has been reporting on the QAnon conspiracy for years and has been targeted by the group. In this timely and essential book, he explains the genesis of QAnon, his experience covering its members online and in the real world, Q’s lies and how they are spread, how Q has overshadowed politics, and what the nation must do to address this growing danger—including how to help friends and family who have fallen under Q’s pernicious sway.

""A story so bizarre, only Will Sommer could report it.” —Molly Jong-Fast

The definitive book on QAnon from the reporter knows them best; Will Sommer explains what it is, how it has gained a mainstream following among Republican lawmakers and ordinary citizens, the threat it poses to democracy, and how we can reach those who have embraced the conspiracy and are disseminating its lies.

The Storm is Coming. Trust the Plan. WWG1WGA. You’ve seen the letter Q on TV and in the news – it’s been everywhere from Trump rallies to the January 6th insurrection. “QAnon” used to sound vaguely familiar, somewhat ominous, but not quite mainstream. But what was once a fringe conspiracy theory has now become a household name and its symbols recognizable around the world. How did this happen, who is actually involved, what do they believe, and what do they want?

Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer has been on the ground with Q’s followers since day one, and in Trust the Plan Sommer has written the definitive book on the movement—who started it and who grew it, what they really believe is going on, and what they want to see “the Storm” accomplish on the day of its reckoning. At once a character study and a journalistic exposé, Sommer lets his cast of characters do the talking as he visits them around the world, from their makeshift compounds to the rallies they are still holding.

The great tragedy of this story is ultimately the legitimization of this ideology by mainstream politicians eager to gain access to a large and growing cohort of voters. Though 2020 brought the end of Trump’s presidency, his following within the QAnon community has simply pivoted and grown stronger. Trust the Plan shows us in granular detail who we’ll be up against for years to come, in the US and abroad. Understanding why and how something like Q happens is an indispensable exercise, and in showing us how we got here we can chart a path out.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Vaarallisen salaliittokultin nousu

Will Sommerin ajankohtainen tietokirja QAnon kertoo salaliittokultista, joka olisi teorioidensa outoudessa koominen, ellei se olisi samalla niin uhkaava ja väkivaltainen

Kun QAnon-liike sai alkunsa Donald Trumpin presidenttikaudella vuonna 2017, se oli vain omituinen ja pieni salaliittoteoreetikoiden yhteenliittymä. Sen absurdit väitteet valtaeliitin salaliitosta, joka harrastaa saatananpalvontaa, pedofiliaa ja kannibalismia, herättivät lähinnä huvittunutta kummastusta. Muutamassa vuodessa liike kuitenkin nousi suuriin otsikoihin ja sai kannattajia ympäri maailman. Miten näin tapahtui, keitä liikkeessä on mukana ja mihin se pyrkii?

Toimittaja Will Sommer on seurannut QAnon-liikettä sen alkuvaiheista asti ja ollut itsekin salaliittolaisten maalituksen kohteena. Tätä teosta varten Sommer on haastatellut liikkeen kannattajia ja heidän lähipiiriään. Tuloksena on hyytävä kuvaus siitä, mihin salaliittoteoria yhdistettynä populismiin ja sosiaaliseen mediaan voi johtaa.