How Trump-endorsed conspiracy theories could inspire more political violence: CNN's Avlon

CNN's John Avlon on Monday explained why we shouldn't be surprised that President Donald Trump over the weekend spread a baseless conspiracy theory about former President Bill Clinton murdering accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

During his "Reality Check" segment, Avlon called Trump the "conspiracy-theorist-in-chief" and said that the president has spread so much disinformation over the years that it's become "the new normal" in American politics.

"He's promoted conspiracy theories before, most notably the racist 'birther' conspiracy theory about Barack Obama," Avlon said. "Throughout the 2016 campaign, he baselessly suggested that the father of his primary rival, Ted Cruz, was somehow involved in JFK's assassination."

He then explained that Trump's conspiracy mongering is outright dangerous, as it could help spur on conspiracy theorists to commit acts of political violence.

"It comes two weeks after a report by an FBI office in Phoenix, Arizona, warning about conspiracy theory-driven extremists," he explained. "When the president spreads these theories, he's not just asking questions as Kellyanne Conway suggested, but amplifying their message from the bully pulpit of the White House, and that leads some folks to believe it."

Avlon concluded his segment by warning that "the president of the United States has become one of the most powerful forces for promoting misinformation in the world today."

Watch the video below.