COVID-19 pandemic reshaped American political discourse through partisan lenses, but a less examined force—populism—also influenced public attitudes. This worldview positions average citizens against elites and often distrusts experts.

* Worldview & Methods

Populism's anti-intellectual stance is central to understanding COVID conspiracies.

Conservative media consumption interacts differently with this predisposition than partisanship alone.

* Key Findings

We show empirically that populism correlates strongly with conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19, independently of partisanship.

Among high-populism individuals, conservative media is a stronger driver of these theories.

Conspiracy belief directly reduces compliance with public health recommendations.

* Impact

These findings suggest political communication strategies must address both partisan and populist dynamics to effectively shape pandemic-related behaviors.