President Donald Trump resumed tweeting baseless conspiracy theories about a migrant caravan that is traveling north from Central America on Monday morning, less than 48 hours after an anti-Semite who reportedly promoted similar conspiracy theories on social media murdered 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Many Gang Members and some very bad people are mixed into the Caravan heading to our Southern Border. Please go back, you will not be admitted into the United States unless you go through the legal process. This is an invasion of our Country and our Military is waiting for you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2018

Trump also tweeted a message to members of the caravan on Thursday, urging them to “go back” to their countries.

To those in the Caravan, turnaround, we are not letting people into the United States illegally. Go back to your Country and if you want, apply for citizenship like millions of others are doing! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2018

Robert Bowers reportedly hinted at his plan to kill Jewish people in his final message posted on Gab, a refuge for white supremacists who have been banned from Twitter, hours before Saturday’s shooting.


An analysis of Bowers’ other social media activity reveals numerous references to absurd conservative conspiracy theories about the migrant caravan being funded or directed by George Soros. Several prominent Republicans, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Trump, have amplified Soros smears in recent weeks. The 88-year-old Holocaust survivor was a target of last week’s spate of attempted bombings of Democrats who have been frequent focuses of Trump’s incendiary rhetoric.

Multiple Fox News hosts have pushed conspiracy theories to fear-monger about the migrant caravan, which has become part of Republicans’ closing argument in advance of next week’s midterm elections.

Trump also accused Soros of paying people protesting against accused attempted rapist and now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in a tweet earlier this month.

The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad. Don’t fall for it! Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love! #Troublemakers — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2018

Trump called Tom Steyer, a Democratic activist who was also a target of last week’s attempted bombings, “a crazed & stumbling lunatic” in a tweet on Sunday.


The president is either unaware or doesn’t care that asylum applications can’t be made outside of the United States and it is legal to claim asylum at a port of entry along the border.

Trump’s administration has reduced the number of federal resources tracking the rising threat of far-right extremism.