Stephen Knott
Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency
Conspiracy theories have been part of American life from the beginning. The land of the free and the home of the brave has also been the den of false rumors and conspiratorial claims about one’s political enemies — not merely by rank-and-file Americans but also by our most powerful and consequential elected leaders. Sadly, the Commander in Chief of the United States has acted rather as a Conspirator in Chief. This talk will focus on presidents from the past who circulated falsehoods designed to undermine their opponents and enhance their own power, not just on the campaign trail but also during their tenure in office. The talk will conclude with a discussion of those presidents who shunned conspiracy mongering and embraced the “better angels of our nature.”
Dr. Stephen F. Knott (stephenfknott.com | Twitter) is a Professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Prior to accepting his position at the Naval War College, Knott was Co-Chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. He also served for seven years as an Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at the United States Air Force Academy.
He is the author of nine books dealing with the American presidency, the early republic, and American foreign policy, including Secret and Sanctioned: Covert Operations and the American Presidency, Washington and Hamilton: The Alliance That Forged America and Rush to Judgment: George W. Bush, the War on Terror, and His Critics. His most recent book is The Lost Soul of the American Presidency: The Decline into Demagoguery and the Prospects for Renewal (University Press of Kansas). His most recent book is Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy.
Dr. Knott is a regular presenter at History Camp Boston.
