Why is everything a ‘false flag’?

Following the recent shooting connected to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, false-flag conspiracy theories emerged almost instantly online. A false-flag is a covert operation designed to appear as though it was carried out by someone other than the true perpetrator. And the complicated thing is that false-flag operations are not just the figments of paranoid imagination. Throughout history, governments have used deception, staged attacks, and manipulated attribution to justify war, consolidate power, and shape public opinion. Today, we’re joined by Kathryn Olmsted, author and distinguished professor of history at University California, Davis, to discuss the history of false flag operations, conspiracy culture, and the relationship between real government deception and modern political paranoia. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit:

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Why is everything a ‘false flag’? is an episode from Front Burner by CBC.

This episode is 00:31:48 long.

This episode was published on May 1, 2026.

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