If there’s one thing that remains a certainty among conspiracy theorists it’s that everything is a conspiracy theory, even on the rare occasion when one of their beliefs appears to be vindicated.
This became apparent once again this week after a former intelligence official turned whistleblower reportedly told Congress that the U.S. government secretly possesses a craft of “non-human origin.”
The news appeared on Monday in a report from the Debrief, which said, according to decorated former combat officer David Charles Grusch, that the U.S. government has long operated a deeply covert program that recovers and analyzes both small fragments and entire vehicles said to be of non-human origin.
While questions remain, the news was seen as vindication by many longtime believers in aliens and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), now referred to as unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP).
But the most ardent conspiracy theorists refused to celebrate the news, instead arguing that the revelation itself was yet another conspiracy theory.
Far-right commentator Ian Miles Cheong suggested the whistleblower’s commentary regarding a topic that has been discussed for decades was a distraction from the ever-important “culture war.”
“What’s a good way to distract from the culture war and the deluge of bad press being given to the administration?” Cheong asked. “Roll out the ‘news’ about aliens and UFOs.”
Darren J. Beattie, a writer who has helped push conspiracy theories regarding the 2021 Capitol riot, similarly suggested that news was part of a psychological operation to mislead the public.
“There’s an op going on with the UFO stuff it’s just not clear what that is,” Beattie tweeted. “Why do all of these intel and defense officials all of a sudden want us to think about this? Could be simultaneously true that it’s real and there’s an ulterior reason they’re promoting this now.”
Many insinuated the same, arguing that the U.S. government was likely attempting to take the public’s attention away from something else.
“I have a thesis that the govt ramps up the UFO talk whenever they need a narrative reset somewhere else,” tweeted one.
Comments elsewhere were mixed. Some pointed out that the whistleblower provided no evidence to the public. Others noted that countless sighted UFOs have turned out to be normal objects.
A handful suggested that the so-called UFOs were likely of human origin.
And while having healthy skepticism is ideal regarding such topics, most conspiracy theorists appear more concerned with finding a new conspiracy than believing the potentially massive news.
