Trump's Conspiracy Theory Altered After Fact Check Reveals Flaws

WHO:

Alternet - President Donald Trump

CNN - Steve Hilton, Spencer Pratt, Barack Obama, Daniel Dale

WHAT:

Alternet - Trump altered his conspiracy theory regarding the California primary elections after being fact-checked.

CNN - Trump claimed he had "jawboned the riggers into submission" regarding the California primary elections.

CNN - Hilton qualified for the November runoffs in the California primary elections.

CNN - Trump stated that he "hit them hard" on Pratt’s defeat and suggested that Hilton's approval was expedited due to his pressure.

WHERE:

CNN - California

WHEN:

CNN - The California primary elections were held last week.

CNN - The November runoffs are scheduled for later this year.

WHY:

Alternet - Trump’s adjustments to his conspiracy theory were made in response to facts that contradicted his claims about the primary elections being rigged.

CNN - Trump suggested that Democrats were attempting to rig the results against Hilton.

HOW:

Alternet - Trump used a "time-tested conspiracist tactic" of altering his narrative when faced with contradicting evidence.

CNN - Trump claimed that his public warnings about potential rigging influenced the approval of Hilton's qualification for the runoff.

(UPDATED June 11, 2026 21:44 UTC)

President Trump recently adjusted his conspiracy theory regarding the California primary elections after being fact-checked, claiming he had "jawboned the riggers into submission." He suggested that Democrats were trying to rig the results against Steve Hilton, who has qualified for the November runoffs later this year. Trump also asserted that his public warnings about potential rigging played a role in expediting Hilton's approval, using a familiar tactic of altering his narrative when faced with contradicting evidence.