Donald Trump retweeted an alt-right conspiracy theorist. Here’s why. – CNN

CNN Special Report "Twitter and Trump" with Bill Weir explores the President's fraught relationship with the social media platform Friday at 9 p.m. ET.

"Meanwhile: 39 shootings in Chicago this weekend, 9 deaths. No national media outrage. Why is that?"

Posobiec is a well-known figure on Twitter -- he has more than 181,000 followers -- thanks to his vociferous defenses of Trump and his willingness to promote conspiracy theories.

He is, to put it kindly, an unreliable source. He peddles falsehoods. He is a provocateur, more interested in making headlines than adhering to established facts.

So why the hell would Trump retweet Posobiec?

What's FAR more likely is that Trump knew Posobiec was an ally and liked the counter-narrative to Charlottesville offered by the murders in Chicago.

Remember this: In Trump's world, there isn't really right and wrong. There are people who love him/work for his interest and people who hate him/work against his interests. There is no gray area between those two poles.

If you are in the love category, you are, by definition, good. The reverse is true for those Trump puts in the hate column.

Posobiec likes Trump and supports Trump. That's all Trump cares about. That Posobiec has pushed conspiracy theories and is a card-carrying member of the alt-right doesn't matter to Trump. Those are Posobiec's issues! Not Trump's! All Trump is doing is retweeting someone making a good point!

Of course, Trump himself saw his candidacy born in a conspiracy theory -- Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States -- and has continued to peddle false conspiracy theories (Ted Cruz's father was involved in the JFK assassination, Muslims were celebrating on New Jersey roofs on 9/11, Barack Obama wiretapped phones in Trump Tower) throughout his candidacy and presidency.

There's one other piece of this Posobiec retweet. Not only does Trump divide the world between those who love him and those who hate him, he loves the people that love him.

If you are nice to Trump, Trump will be nice to you. It's as simple as that. That's why Trump retweeted something from a known conspiracy theorist. And why he'll do it again. And again.

UPDATE: This post has been updated to add context about the shootings in Chicago.

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Donald Trump retweeted an alt-right conspiracy theorist. Here's why. - CNN

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