Jacob Chansley, better known as the “QAnon Shaman” and once one of Donald Trump’s most fervent supporters, has publicly broken with the former president in a series of angry and conspiratorial social media posts.
Chansley—whose horned headdress and painted face became one of the most iconic images from the January 6 Capitol riot—lashed out at Trump on Wednesday, calling him a “fraud” and accusing him of nefarious ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein.
“F— this stupid piece of s—. What a fraud…” Chansley wrote in reply to a social media post featuring Trump’s 2023 mugshot.
The Arizona native, who pleaded guilty in 2021 to obstructing a federal proceeding, had his sentence commuted by Trump earlier this year as part of a controversial pardon of over 1,500 January 6 defendants. At the time, Chansley posted a celebratory message: “THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!!! … J6ers are getting released & JUSTICE HAS COME.”
Now, just seven months later, his tone has shifted dramatically.
In follow-up posts, Chansley suggested Trump was being manipulated due to information tied to Epstein, the convicted s—-x offender whose death in 2019 sparked widespread conspiracy theories. Chansley didn’t offer evidence but implied this connection was at the heart of his disillusionment.
Trump has faced renewed scrutiny over his past associations with Epstein, with some critics—including former allies—accusing the former president of failing to release information about the disgraced financier.
Chansley also directed his outrage at prominent Trump-world figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Elon Musk, indicating a broader fracture with the MAGA movement he once championed.
As Law & Crime previously reported, Chansley pleaded guilty in September 2021 and was sentenced to 41 months in prison. He was transferred to a halfway house in May 2023. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the obstruction charge used against many January 6 defendants—like Chansley—was improperly applied.
Despite benefiting from a Trump-issued pardon earlier this year, Chansley now appears to be among a growing group of once-loyal supporters turning on the former president ahead of the 2024 election cycle.
His comments reflect an evolving rift between some elements of the far-right and Trump himself, fueled by conspiracy theories, unmet expectations, and ongoing fallout from the Capitol riot.
