A new national survey released by the University of Maryland School of Public Policy has revealed that a quarter of Americans believe that the FBI instigated the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Furthermore, 32 percent of those surveyed are unaware of the rioting that occurred on Capitol Hill. These startling results show that despite the myriad of evidence to the contrary, many Americans may still view the assault as a false flag operation. The findings also suggest that large portions of the population remain unaware of the initial cause of the events—a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters attempting to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory. The survey results are especially concerning, as some of the Trump supporters involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection are currently facing federal charges and jail time. If large swaths of the population have not been adequately informed about the gravity of the situation, then public support for those defendants, as well as for any further investigations into the incident, is likely to remain divided. The results of the poll also point to a potential risk of further disinformation campaigns targeting the American public. With a quarter of respondents believing that the FBI was at least partially responsible for the attack, not only have some citizens been left out of the loop, but their beliefs could become entrenched in the overall public’s opinion. Disinformation of the sort could lead to a further polarization of the nation. The survey results emphasize the need for further discussion about the Jan. 6 incident, as well as for greater awareness of the events leading up to it. Without a better understanding of the facts and circumstances, greater divisions between political tribes are likely to form, potentially undermining the functioning of American democracy in the years ahead.