Ron Watkins, a leader of the QAnon movement, scrambled to convince his followers that the man who spoke at former President Donald Trump's rally on Saturday was not a "body double."
While attending Saturday's Trump rally in Arizona, Rolling Stone correspondent Steven Monacelli observed that some of the VIP guests were "too extreme" for the QAnon movement. But Monacelli reported that they were "welcomed warmly" by the Trump crowd in Arizona.
One of the QAnon influencers in attendance, Michael Protzman, has been condemned by some members of the community after his promises that John F. Kennedy Jr. would emerge in Dallas last year never materialized.
Monacelli also reported that Watkins, who some believe started the QAnon movement, struggled to convince his followers that the real Donald Trump had appeared at the rally.
"After the rally, Ron Watkins held an audio chat where followers speculated that Trump himself had been a body double," Monacelli noted.
“I saw Trump. It’s not a body double. It’s actually him,” Watkins reportedly told his followers.
Throughout the day, Watkins shared photos of himself posing with other conspiracy theorists at the rally. One photo featured MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who spoke at the event. Watkins also repeatedly asked for donations to his congressional campaign.