The Slatest
Trump Snaps Photo With Top Promoter of QAnon Conspiracy Theory in Oval Office
By Daniel Politi
Aug 25, 201810:35 AM
Guests attend a rally where President Donald Trump was speaking to show support for Ohio Republican congressional candidate Troy Balderson on August 4, 2018 in Lewis Center, Ohio. Scott Olson/Getty Images
One of the most prominent promoters of the "QAnon" conspiracy group got a photo with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office this week. Michael Lebron, an attorney who is known as "Lionel" in his radio show, took the photo with Trump on Thursday and posted it on social media. "There simply are no words to explicate this profound honor," Lebron wrote on Instagram while sharing a photo of him and Trump. His wife is also in the shot.
There simply are no words to explicate this profound honor.
A post shared by Lionel (@lionelmedia) on Aug 24, 2018 at 11:29am PDT
The Daily Beast, which was first to report the story, talked to four White House officials about the photo and they all claimed to have no idea how Trump ended up snapping that photo at the Resolute Desk with the man who touts the idea that top Democrats are part of a global pedophile cult. "Two of these West Wing officials audibly could not contain their laughter," notes the Daily Beast. One even joked that "the president is a president for all Americans." Those who know how the Oval Office works say the only way anyone Trump doesn't know would get to snap a picture with the president there is if a senior staff member vouched for the person.
We haven't been able to get to the bottom of this yet, but of the 4 senior WH aides we asked about how Trump ended up in a photo op w/ this prominent QAnon guy in the Oval, they all pleaded ignorance. 2 of them audibly could not contain their laughter. https://t.co/DLcpcqvcJc
— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) August 24, 2018
Lebron, who later posted a video celebrating the visit, claimed he received a "special guided tour of the White House" before seeing Trump in the Oval Office. He insists though he didn't actually mention QAnon to the president. He evidently didn't think he had to. "By the way never said anything about Q," LeBron said. "I would never ever want to be known as somebody who would connect the president for something. I think we all know he knows about. Never said it. Never came up." QAnon signs and T-shirts have become increasingly common at Trump rallies recently.