Right-wing fraudsters who paved the way for Trump

During his tenure, Donald Trump's habits of deception and cunning intertwined perfectly with conservative politics within the Republican Party. In 2024 alone, Trump released gold sneakers for $399 featuring the American flag, sold a $60 "God Bless the USA" Bible endorsed by singer Lee Greenwood, and convinced millions to buy shares in the nonprofit parent company Truth Social. Trump is often seen as a political usurper who redirected the Republican Party towards his own personal goals. However, at the same time, there is a strong argument that when it comes to cunning, his attempt at usurpation could only have succeeded due to the entrenched tendencies towards fraud within the conservative movement.

From the psychopathic anti-communist lecture series of the 1950s to crowdfunding campaigns fighting the myths about Obama's birthplace or selling fake coronavirus cures by Alex Jones, there is a long and fascinating history of elites spreading fear and paranoia to make money. The problem has become so serious that in recent years, many influential conservatives have openly complained about the widespread trickery within conservative ranks.

But where did this culture come from and how important is it for Trump's rise? These questions lie at the heart of "The Longest Con," an upcoming book about the history of right-wing scams and deceptions.

Konaason traces the origin of the tradition of fraud back to Joe McCarthy, whose anti-communist campaign demonstrated that paranoid conspiracies could become a ticket to popularity within the roots of the right-wing movement. Con, who worked for McCarthy, found a way to turn this popularity into profit: exploiting fears of communism to, among other things, fund a lavish trip to Europe.

As the conservative movement grew, more and more frauds emerged. Konason highlights Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign as a key turning point. The campaign generated a huge mailing list that scammers could tap into for donations for supposed political causes, which primarily filled their own pockets. When these "direct mail" scams proved to be extremely profitable, they expanded, normalizing the ethics of fraud on the right, which ultimately culminated in Donald Trump.