Hugo Drochon
ON THE RECORD · 12 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“The United States was at the centre of the world, and this was the great shock. There was also a spectacle element to it – hijacking a plane and crashing it into the World Trade Center. It marked a certain generation.”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon explained the shock and spectacle of the 9/11 attacks as experienced by a certain generation watching on television.
“Linked to that, you have politicians who have seized upon them. That creates a vicious circle: the theories gain greater visibility because politicians repeat them, and people then take them more seriously because they appear to explain political developments such as Trump.”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon described a vicious circle in which politicians amplify conspiracy theories, giving them greater visibility and perceived legitimacy.
“People can use them for nefarious purposes,”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon noted that conspiracy theories can be used for nefarious purposes, especially when adopted by powerful political actors.
“Some conspiracy theorists are among the most powerful people in the world.”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon stated that some conspiracy theorists are now among the most powerful people in the world.
“Conspiracy theories have always represented a potential threat, but at the moment that threat is particularly visible because the people promoting them are no longer simply on the fringes,”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon observed that conspiracy theories pose a particularly visible threat because their promoters are no longer confined to the political fringes.
“What changed was the moment when politicians started to actively use conspiracy theories as a political weapon.”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon explained that the key shift occurred when politicians started actively using conspiracy theories as political weapons.
“Conspiracy theories have always been there,”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon noted that conspiracy theories have always existed but changed when politicians began using them as political weapons.
“They are a threat when the most powerful political actors adopt them.”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon warned that conspiracy theories become a threat when the most powerful political actors adopt them.
“Trump activated those kinds of voters. You had certain people coming out to vote who had not voted previously. You saw something similar in the case of Brexit,”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon described how Trump galvanised a new voter base of previously less politically engaged people, similar to the Brexit referendum.
“Lying creates distrust, and there is a correlation between distrust and belief in conspiracy theories,”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon discussed how government lies, such as the disproven Iraq WMD claims, fuelled distrust and a rise in conspiracy theories.
“Social media allows conspiracy theories to thrive and makes them more prominent,”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon discussed how social media allows conspiracy theories to thrive and gain prominence.
“People saw it on television,”
Hugo Drochon · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-11
Drochon was describing how the 9/11 attacks unfolded live on television and became a spectacle witnessed in real time.