Remember when conspiracy theories were just harmless fun? A time when speculating about JFK, aliens, or secret societies was a quirky hobby rather than dangerous political ideology? Those days are sadly behind us, as we now live in a world where fringe beliefs drive policy and shape our institutions.
In this episode, we explore one of the strangest conspiracy theories that bridges Victorian literature and modern politics: the Baron Trump novels. Written in the 1890s by lawyer-turned-author Ingersoll Lockwood, these forgotten children's books feature a wealthy young German aristocrat named Baron Trump who lives in "Castle Trump" and embarks on fantastical adventures guided by a mentor named "Don." The coincidental similarities to our current reality don't stop there—Lockwood also wrote a novel called "The Last President" featuring riots on Fifth Avenue and a character named Pence.