Replication Data for: The Power of Trump's Big Lie: Identity Fusion, Internalizing Misinformation, and Support for Trump

Former president Trump has maintained broad support despite falsely contending he was the victim of electoral fraud, also known as the “big lie.” We consider both the antecedents of this phenomenon and its consequences. We propose that Trump supporters’ already established deep personal alignment—identity fusion—with their leader predisposed them to believe the lie. Accepting it then set the foundation for other identity-protecting beliefs and attitudes. Using a three-wave panel of Trump supporters, we found the more fused they were before the 2020 election, the stronger their belief in the big lie grew between 2021 and 2024. Accepting the big lie helped solidify fusion with Trump and had consequences for related attitudes. Belief in the big lie predicted downplaying the criminal charges against Trump and supporting his authoritarian policy agenda. Fueled by and fueling further fusion, belief in the big lie is a key aspect of a larger narrative that emboldens Trump and justifies antidemocratic behavior.