In a significant political reversal, Jacob Chansley – the man known worldwide as the 'QAnon Shaman' for his role in the 6 January US Capitol riots – has publicly declared he no longer supports former President Donald Trump, the very man who pardoned him.
A Pardoned Rioter's Change of Heart
Chansley, who served 41 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to obstructing an official proceeding, was among hundreds of January 6 participants granted a pardon by Trump upon his return to office. Now living in Phoenix, Arizona, Chansley was approached by CNN and asked if he remained a Trump supporter. Wearing American flag sunglasses, he visibly grimaced before answering.
His reason for the dramatic U-turn centres on Trump's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein client list. "No," Chansley stated. "The man refusing to release the Epstein client list was enough for me and a lot of other people to be like, 'Okay, this is bullshit.'"
Distancing from the 'Shaman' Persona and QAnon
Despite his iconic appearance during the riots – which featured an American flag painted on his face, a raccoon skin hat with horns, and a 'Q sent me' sign – Chansley now seeks to distance himself from that identity. He told reporters he no longer identifies as the 'QAnon Shaman' and claimed he only carried the sign because it was a popular 'meme' at the time.
QAnon is a broad conspiracy theory alleging a cabal of Satan-worshipping paedophiles operates within government, business, and media circles, and that Donald Trump was secretly fighting them. The movement, which has links to anti-vaccine and anti-5G beliefs, began in 2017 from anonymous posts by a user claiming 'Q clearance' security access.
Chansley insists he does not regret his actions on January 6, but his criticism of Trump is not new. In July of last year, he launched a fierce verbal attack on the former president, calling him a 'stupid piece of sh*t' and suggesting Israel and Epstein were 'blackmailing' him.
Wider Republican Fury and a Crisis of Credibility
Chansley's disillusionment reflects a growing schism within Trump's support base over the Epstein files. For years, Trump had promised supporters he would release the alleged client list, which is rumoured to name high-level celebrities and politicians. His failure to do so has sparked significant backlash.
The frustration became so intense that some far-right influencers, like Nick Fuentes, called for followers to burn their iconic MAGA hats in protest. The situation presents a major credibility issue for prominent Republicans who amplified claims of a government cover-up regarding Epstein.
As noted by Politico's Playbook, figures aligned with Trump now face a dilemma: they must either admit they were wrong or manufacturing claims, or risk appearing complicit in a cover-up themselves. This episode underscores the ongoing political turbulence surrounding the former president and the potent legacy of the conspiracy theories that fuelled the Capitol attack.
