Reporter exposes ‘deep state’ criticism of Trump from conspiracy theorists who helped return him to White House

By Ali Swenson

Democracy team reporter Ali Swenson took a daily news development and turned it into a deeply reported enterprise piece revealing a surprising dynamic: conspiracy theorists who helped fuel Donald Trump’s return to the White House are now turning against his administration.

Swenson reported that many far-right influencers and online communities—long among Trump’s most fervent supporters—have begun openly criticizing him for not doing enough to expose what they believe is the “deep state” operating within the federal government.

The shift in tone followed an appearance by Trump’s FBI director and deputy director on a conservative news program, where they were asked about conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Jeffrey Epstein and why they hadn’t done more to reveal “the truth.”

Drawing on her expertise navigating far-right digital spaces, Swenson documented the growing chorus of voices accusing Trump of falling short of his promise to root out corruption. This backlash has emerged even as Trump himself has continued to amplify conspiracy theories, including those involving the Clintons, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Swenson’s reporting showed the fine line Trump’s administration is now trying to walk—keeping conspiracy-driven voters engaged while managing their growing dissatisfaction.

The story quickly became the top-performing article on APNews after publication and was cited in CNN’s Reliable Sources newsletter.

For turning a news moment into revealing enterprise, Ali Swenson delivers a sharp, timely look at the complexities of Trump-era politics and voter expectations.