Who is Ron Johnson? The pro-Trump senator sharing conspiracy theories about Capitol assault

After amplifying Donald Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was stolen from his supporters, a prominent GOP senator has aired a baseless conspiracy theory that “plainclothes militants, agents provocateurs” and “fake Trump supporters” were responsible for a deadly pro-Trump riot at the US Capitol on 6 January that sought to overturn election results.

Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin was among several senators – including Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz – who objected to election results on 6 January and appeared at a Homeland Security Committee hearing on Tuesday about the assault, inspired by a months-long campaign by the former president and his supporters to undermine the votes of millions of Americans.