Naomi Klein blasts ‘conspiracy theorist in chief’ Trump as she wins Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction

Naomi Klein has slammed Donald Trump as “conspiracy theorist in chief” of the United States, claiming his entire political career was launched off the back of white supremacist conspiracies.

The Canadian author, 54, critiqued Trump after winning the inaugural Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction on Thursday (13 June) for her book Doppelganger: A Trip Into The Mirror World, which investigates the world of “conspiracy theories, anti-vaxxers and demagogue hucksters”.

Klein, who previously claimed yoga studios and online wellness gurus are fuelling vaccine scepticism, told The Independent Trump uses conspiracy theories to distract from his “real scandals” and his followers believe his misinformation because “it’s fun”.

“Donald Trump entered politics with a conspiracy theory about Barrack Obama, claiming that he had faked his birth certificate, which was a lie,” Klein said. “That was a racist conspiracy theory that launched his political career so he really is the conspiracy theorist in chief.”

She continued: “He has lots of help now from Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, with his huge platform [Twitter/X] that he now controls.

“It’s not a great combination having a conspiracy candidate and a conspiracist heading a major social media platform,” Klein added. “Or several, actually, because Musk is not the only one.”

“It’s a great way to distract from real scandals,” the author added.

When asked whether she thought Trump could make a return as president in the upcoming US election after being found guilty on 34 counts in his so-called hush money case, Klein said the investigation had not damaged the politician’s brand whatsoever.

“His narrative was already protected from this because it reinforces the narrative that people are out to get him because he’s such a powerful leader and advocate for his base,” she said.

“The more there are these types of investigations the more his narrative avails. His lawlessness is part of his brand. He breaks the rules. He positions himself as a mafia protectorate of his base.”

Klein received a £30,000 prize as the first winner of the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. Meanwhile, US author VV Ganeshananthan was awarded the Women’s Prize for Fiction for her second novel Brotherless Night, about a family fractured by the Sri Lankan civil war.

Klein, who was a guest speaker at a Labour Party conference when Jeremy Corbyn was leader, has also released the books No Logo: Taking Aim At The Brand Bullies and This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate.

Her best-selling 2007 book The Shock Doctrine, which argues global corporations have exploited major disasters to force through social and financial changes to their advantage, was also the winner of the inaugural Warwick Prize for Writing.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, chairwoman of the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction judges, said: “This brilliant and layered analysis demonstrates humour, insight and expertise.

“Klein’s writing is both deeply personal and impressively expansive.

“Doppelganger is a courageous, humane and optimistic call-to-arms that moves us beyond black and white, beyond right and left, inviting us instead to embrace the spaces in between.”