Supporters of Trump have shown a tendency to accept logically inconsistent claims about COVID-19. They professed beliefs that the virus was a hoax and no worse than the flu while also crediting Trump for handling the pandemic well and for the vaccine development. When evidence emerged that Trump acknowledged the virus's seriousness, supporters defended his lying to prevent panic. This creates contradictions in their beliefs, suggesting some supporters may knowingly accept lies while others may be unaware victims of misinformation.
Many Trump supporters claimed to believe that COVID-19 was a hoax, that it was no worse than the flu, that it was a Chinese bioweapon, that Trump did a great job with the pandemic and that Trump should get credit for the vaccine. When Bob Woodward released tapes proving that Trump acknowledged the danger of the virus in February, many Trump supporters accepted Trump's claim that he wanted to play down the virus to avoid a panic. His supporters defended him, claiming that great leaders have and should lie to prevent panic in the face of terrible danger.
If Trump was right to lie to play down the deadly danger of the virus, then this is inconsistent with the claim that it is like the flu and inconsistent with the claim that it is a hoax. If he was right to lie because of the danger, then it is not like the flu nor is it a hoax. But if it is like the flu or a hoax, then he would not need to lie about the danger.
One way to explain Trump supporters professing inconsistent beliefs is that some of them are accomplices. Another is that they are victims.
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