From Senate Dais to the Court Docket: The Schism of the Century
There are celebrity breakups, and then there is the unholy, entirely theatrical schism between former President Donald Trump and his once-most-fervent disciple, Jacob Chansley, better known to the world as the “QAnon Shaman.” It is a betrayal so rich in American kitsch and political delusion that it belongs on a reality show produced by the fever dreams of a dozen cable news pundits.
Chansley, the man whose face—painted in the colors of the American flag and topped with a bison-horned fur hat—became the indelible, howling mascot of the January 6th Capitol riot, has re-emerged from the shadows of his post-prison life with a grievance so colossal it defies economic logic.
The former QAnon Shaman has just filed a lawsuit demanding a breathtaking $40 TRILLION in damages. The target list is a conspiratorial hall-of-fame: none other than Donald Trump himself, and the enigmatic, universally-feared, and perpetually-unpopular Federal Reserve.
Yes, readers, that is 40,000,000,000,000 dollars—a number that could finance the entire US federal budget several times over and likely cover the catering costs for a thousand Trump rallies. This isn’t just a lawsuit; it’s a manifesto wrapped in a legal filing, signaling that Chansley has officially traded his faith in the former President for a new, equally grand delusion: self-appointment as the leader of a ‘New Constitutional Republic.’
The Betrayal: When a Shaman Feels Smitten and Spurned
To appreciate the irony of this legal maneuver, one must look back at the origins of Chansley’s rage. He was not just a supporter of Trump; he was, by his own defense attorney’s admission, “horrendously smitten” with the man. Chansley, like many others, believed he was answering the call of his commander-in-chief on January 6th.
He went to prison—serving 41 months after pleading guilty to obstructing an official proceeding—and did so believing in the promise of the “Storm,” and perhaps a presidential pardon. The pardon, however, never came, a perceived snub that soured the milk of loyalty for Chansley and many other high-profile rioters. He felt betrayed by the very man he risked his freedom for.
In the twisted, ever-evolving landscape of far-right conspiracy, this rejection by Trump became the new narrative: the man Chansley idolized was part of the very “Deep State” he claimed to be fighting.
The current $40 Trillion Lawsuit is the ultimate, cosmic payback. It’s an act of public repudiation, essentially saying: You rejected me, now I will tear down your entire system, starting with you and the shadow bank you hate.
The Federal Reserve Twist: The Conspiracy Gets a Dollar Sign
The inclusion of the Federal Reserve as a co-defendant alongside the former President is the delightful cherry on this sundae of American eccentricity.
For decades, the Federal Reserve—the powerful but deeply mundane central bank responsible for monetary policy—has been a magnet for populist paranoia. For the far-right, it’s not a bank; it’s the black heart of the globalist “Deep State,” printing money and manipulating the economy at the behest of shadowy elites.
By suing both Trump and the Federal Reserve, Chansley has fused two of the most significant figures/institutions of his former life into a single, massive legal target. The logic, as best as we can parse from the reporting on the filing, seems to be:
- Trump’s Betrayal: He was duped into participating in a political act that resulted in his loss of freedom.
- The Fed’s Crime: The Federal Reserve is an unconstitutional, fraudulent entity that has stolen the wealth of the American people (hence the massive $40 trillion price tag).
- The New Era: Only by dissolving the current system and putting him—Jacob Chansley, the newly enlightened “Supreme Commander”—in charge of a “New Constitutional Republic” can America be saved.
It is, quite simply, the grandest possible escalation of a personal beef with a political figure: when you realize your hero is a traitor, you become the messiah yourself.
The Grand Declaration: A ‘New Constitutional Republic’
The most ambitious, and frankly most frivolous, part of Chansley’s lawsuit is the declaration of himself as a constitutional sovereign. In this new legal document, Chansley reportedly outlines the foundation of his so-called ‘New Constitutional Republic,’ positioning himself as the head of a government that, presumably, answers to the laws of his own imagination.
This isn’t just a legal maneuver; it’s a desperate cry for relevance and a textbook example of the kind of self-aggrandizing prophecy that permeated the QAnon movement. The core belief of QAnon was always that a glorious “Event” or “Storm” would usher in a new era, and for Chansley, having been abandoned by his original “savior,” he has now decided to play the role himself.
It’s a story arc that is tragic in its political consequence but darkly comedic in its personal scale: a man’s journey from cult follower to cult leader, with a stop at a federal penitentiary and a $40,000,000,000,000 lawsuit in between.
Precedent of the Prophetic Plaintiff
Is this lawsuit going anywhere? Absolutely not. It will be tossed out of court with the speed of a judge’s gavel. But the why of the story is the real celebrity narrative here.
This pattern—the grandiose, baseless legal filing following a public political or celebrity scandal—is an enduring American tradition. We’ve seen it countless times:
- The Sovereign Citizen: Individuals who file absurd liens and legal documents against government officials, declaring themselves free from the jurisdiction of the state (often citing convoluted constitutional interpretations).
- The Celebrity Stalker/Accuser: People who file multi-million dollar lawsuits against famous figures, citing elaborate, often invented, conspiracies involving mind control, stolen ideas, or secret societies.
Chansley’s move is the perfect hybrid: it has the financial absurdity of a sovereign citizen case, the delusional self-importance of a conspiracy theory leader, and the high-profile targets of a celebrity grievance.
The ultimate lesson here? Never, ever underestimate the theatrical staying power of a betrayal. The QAnon Shaman is no longer howling for Donald Trump; he’s howling for his $40 trillion, and in Hollywood, that’s an even better headline.
- The Arizona Republic – Longtime Arizona QAnon supporter in horned helmet joins storming of U.S. Capitol
- Al Jazeera – ‘QAnon Shaman’ Capitol rioter sentenced to 41 months in prison
- PBS News – Jan. 6 rioter known as ‘QAnon Shaman’ sentenced to 41 months
- Sky News – US Capitol riot: ‘QAnon Shaman’ Jacob Chansley pleads guilty over part in 6 January attack
- Wikipedia – Jacob Chansley
- Britannica – QAnon | Meaning, Beliefs, & Conspiracy Theory