An in-depth analysis of the conspiracy theory dividing America after the shocking assassination

Introduction: When Conspiracy Becomes “Truth” for Millions of Americans

The assassination of Charlie Kirk in September 2025 sent shockwaves beyond the United States, unleashing an unprecedented information war in modern history. Within 48 hours of Kirk’s death, millions of Americans had embraced a compelling conspiracy theory: “The Deep State orchestrated Kirk’s elimination to protect the Epstein list”.

According to reports from Axios, BBC, and CNN, this theory has not only spread with lightning speed but has created profound divisions in American society, particularly within MAGA communities and conservative groups.

Context: From the “Epstein List” to Deep State Allegations

Charlie Kirk – The Man Who “Touched” Shadow Power

Before his assassination, Charlie Kirk was known as one of the most vocal advocates calling for the public release of the list of powerful figures who had connections to Jeffrey Epstein. According to analysis from The New Yorker and Politico, Kirk didn’t simply demand transparency but also accused a “shadow network of power” of concealing the truth.

Deep State in the MAGA Mindset

The concept of “Deep State” – shadow government – has existed in American political culture for decades, but never wielded such powerful influence as today. According to research from Vox and BBC, the MAGA community understands Deep State as a network comprising:

High-ranking government officials from FBI, CIA, DOJ

Wall Street financial elites and media conglomerates

Hollywood figures and entertainment industry leaders

International networks including Israel and European allies

Dissemination Mechanisms: From Truth Social to Global Reach

The MAGA Media Ecosystem

According to Axios reports, within 6 hours of the assassination, hashtags #EpsteinList, #DeepStateKirk, #JusticeForKirk had appeared across all social media platforms. Key channels included:

Truth Social: Trump’s platform became the epicenter with over 2 million related posts
War Room (Steve Bannon): Broadcasting 72 consecutive hours about “Deep State conspiracy”
Infowars: Alex Jones declared this an “attack on democracy”
4chan, 8kun forums: Where detailed “evidence” and “scenarios” were formulated

Role of Foreign Powers

NBC News reports show that Russia, China, and Iran quickly amplified these conspiracy theories through bot networks and fake accounts. Their goal: escalate divisions and undermine confidence in American democracy.

Analysis of Presented “Evidence”

1. Tyler Robinson’s “Fabricated” Messages

The MAGA community claims Tyler Robinson’s Discord and SMS messages were “too perfect” to be authentic. They point to:

Message timing too “convenient” for investigation

Detailed content about motives “like a pre-written script”

Lack of genuine emotional markers expected from a killer

2. “Hand Signals” in the Crowd

Some amateur videos were meticulously analyzed, with accusations that crowd members gave “signals” to the gunman. However, the FBI officially debunked these claims, confirming they were merely random actions misinterpreted.

3. Media “Silence” on Epstein

MAGA analysts pointed out that after Kirk’s death, major media outlets uniformly “avoided mentioning” the Epstein list, viewing this as evidence of coordinated “cover-up”.

Institutional and Expert Community Response

FBI and DOJ: Comprehensive Denial

According to CNN and Reuters, the FBI issued an official statement: “No evidence suggests Charlie Kirk’s assassination involved any conspiracy by government agencies or foreign powers”.

Israel Denies Mossad Involvement

After being accused of being the “real hand” behind the incident, the Israeli government officially denied involvement and demanded the US control misinformation.

Experts Warn of “Division Spiral”

Analysts from IDSA and Reuters warn this conspiracy theory could create an unprecedented “spiral of political violence” in American history.

Social Impact: When Conspiracy Becomes “Action Motivation”

Internal MAGA Divisions

According to Politico, even within MAGA, divisions have emerged:

“Hard Deep State” faction: Completely believes in conspiracy, calls for “decisive action”

“Cautious” faction: Wants to await official investigation results

“Separate” faction: Believes focus should be on actual policy issues

Impact on Social Trust

A Pew Research survey revealed:

67% of MAGA voters believe in Deep State theory related to Kirk

34% of independent voters think “there might be truth to it”

89% of Democratic voters completely reject it

Psychological Analysis: Why Do Conspiracy Theories Attract?

1. Need for Simple Explanations

According to Vox research, humans tend to seek simple explanations for complex events. Deep State theory provides a “clear enemy” rather than confronting reality’s complexity.

2. Feeling “Special” for Knowing the “Truth”

Believing in conspiracy theories creates a sense of being “wiser” and “more alert” than the “deceived masses”.

3. Group Identity Reinforcement

Deep State theory helps the MAGA community strengthen their “anti-system” identity, creating internal solidarity.

Risks and Long-term Impact

Escalating Political Violence

Reuters experts warn this conspiracy theory could lead to:

Revenge attacks targeting alleged Deep State connections

Complete loss of faith in legal institutions

Irreparable social polarization

Impact on American Democracy

BBC assesses this conspiracy theory could cause a “legitimacy crisis” for American democracy, as a significant portion of the population no longer trusts traditional institutions.

Conclusion: The Battle Between Truth and Belief

The Deep State conspiracy theory surrounding Charlie Kirk’s assassination is not merely a media phenomenon but reflects a profound crisis in modern American society.

Despite no authenticated evidence being released, this theory continues spreading and creating real impacts on political and social life. This raises a fundamental question: In the digital information age, is truth still the only thing that creates “reality”?

The answer may determine American democracy’s future in coming years.

Primary Sources:

Axios: “MAGA conspiracy machine steers Trump team’s Kirk investigation”

BBC News: “Why the Epstein case looms large in MAGA world”

CNN Politics: “Fact check: Debunking the Charlie Kirk murder conspiracy”

NBC News: “Russia tries to exploit divisions sparked by Kirk’s murder”

Politico: “The MAGA factions fighting about Epstein”

IDSA: “Charlie Kirk’s Killing Bares Rising Extremism in the US Body Politic”

Article updated as of September 24, 2025