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Is Trump relaying more extreme conspiracy theories? That seems hard to prove. Remember that he started out with birtherism and Pizzagate. He's always been this extreme. And these theories successfully rile up his base of resentful white voters. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/05/12/donald-trumps-conspiracy-theories-for-junkies-252210
If it helps to think of it in business terms: Trump is a master marketer, a storyteller for white people who feel victimized by losing perceived, and these conspiracies are his brand's stories to soothe and comfort them. Bedtime stories for fascists, basically. It's never changed
Nor is the embrace of conspiracy theories as a branding strategy just limited to Trump. This is Rush L*mbaugh's business model. It is Joe R***n's business model. This is how you earn the loyalty - and dollars - of many resentful middle-aged American white men.
Alex Berenson - once a respected and rigorous New York Times reporter - has descended into the conspiracy theorist ecosystem too, and it has helped him get a gig with Fox News. https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-quietly-gives-fox-nation-show-to-alex-berenson-coronavirus-truther-called-covid-contrarian
If there's a distinction in Trump's current array of conspiracy theories, it's that this new batch is much more high-level and procedural. "Obamagate" is inside-baseball for the centrist intelligence group, not a mass outrage. IMO Trump is targeting B***n's support among elite Rs
