The Best Conspiracy Theories About The RNC

This week's Republican National Convention has granted all of us with some of the most absurd political theater in U.S. history — but hey, that's what we've come to expect from any televised event with Donald Trump. The RNC may have reached peaked political absurdity on Wednesday night when Sen. Ted Cruz, Trump's one-time challenger for the Republican presidential nomination, took to the Quicken Loans Arena stage to say he was not endorsing Trump for president. The way Trump handled Cruz's non-endorsement has led some to pull out their tin-foil hats and scheme before their TV sets, adding to the great list of conspiracy theories stemming from the Republican National Convention.

Did Melania Trump and her speechwriter knowingly plagiarize Michelle Obama, or did someone purposely mess with Melania Trump's teleprompter? Did Trump know about Cruz's betrayal beforehand, or was it a complete surprise to the Donald and his entourage? Does Trump plan on outsourcing the presidency to his running mate Mike Pence? As the RNC wraps up Thursday night, let's take a look at the best conspiracy theories floated around the Quicken Loans Arena this week. Which ones are true? That's up for you to figure out.

Someone Sabotaged Melania Trump's Speech

Trump's third wife, Melania, was publicly humiliated earlier this week when it became clear that parts of her RNC speech were lifted nearly verbatim from Michelle Obama's speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. For anyone who's taken a college-level writing class, it's pretty clear that this was straightforward plagiarism. However, Democratic strategist James Carville gave Melania Trump the benefit of the doubt and introduced another possibility: Melania Trump was sabotaged.

“I have a theory that I’ve passed by a lot of experienced political people and no one says this is nuts," Carville said Tuesday on "The Mike Lupica Podcast." Carville explained how it seemed like an anti-Trump Republican purposely inserted the stolen lines into Melania's speech.

"You know there’s a ton of Republicans that don’t like Trump,” Carville said. “I think one of them was in the speech shop put that in there. Then, it goes through the vet and then she says it and then this person, he or she tips off the press.”

Oh my, this is getting juicy.

Melania Trump's Plagiarism Was Just An Elaborate Ploy

Maybe the Trump camp didn't know that lifting lines word-by-word from one speech constitutes plagiarism. Maybe the Trump camp understood what plagiarism was, but was too lazy to write a new speech. Maybe Melania Trump was just that inspired by Michelle Obama. Or maybe this plagiarism scandal was just a ploy to get people to read Melania's speech.

Think about it: Did you watch Melania's speech Monday night, or did you read it, line-by-line, on the internet Tuesday morning? Exactly.

If this was one giant, calculated, shameless political stunt, then well played, Trump.

Melania Trump's Speechwriter Isn't Even A Real Person

When it became clear that Melania Trump's speech contained the same exact lines from Michelle Obama's DNC speech, someone from the Trump camp had to respond — and take the fall. That person was Meredith McIver, who released a public statement Wednesday via Donald Trump's website. According to the statement, McIver is an in-house staff writer at the Trump Organization and "admirer of the Trump family." She claimed she offered her resignation to Trump, who then rejected it. "Mr. Trump told me that people make innocent mistakes and that we learn and grow from these experiences," McIver wrote in her statement.

But who is McIver, and why would Trump refuse to accept her resignation over this pretty notable scandal? Well, some have been wondering if McIver even exists, as she has almost no online presence.

However, The New York Times published a profile on McIver on Wednesday, reporting on her past career as a ballerina who liked to write poems "in the style of Dylan Thomas." It looks like Meredith McIver is indeed a real woman but, you know, The Times has been wrong before, right?

Trump Knew Ted Cruz Wouldn't Endorse Him

Why would you let someone speak at the Republican National Convention if they won't endorse you? In a logical world, it doesn't make sense. In Trump's world, he may have just let it happen, because why not? It's more fun that way.

Although Cruz betrayed his pledge to Trump and reportedly went off script — to an eruption of boos and jeers — Wednesday night, Trump seemed fine with it. In fact, he may have even enjoyed it. Following Cruz's bold speech, Trump tweeted, "No big deal!"

This conspiracy theory may actually be true. Trump may have just aided Cruz in his political suicide — or made the Texas senator a conservative martyr.

This Whole Thing Is An Inside Conspiracy To Let Hillary Win

Does Donald Trump even want to be president? This has been the primary question ever since the billionaire businessman announced his candidacy in 2015. After Trump's VP pick of Mike Pence, speculation over Trump's plans as president have been growing. Trump will most likely outsource most of his presidential duties to Pence, right? He's not going to really run the leader of the free world, yes? Or, best yet, he's doing this to help Hillary Clinton, his one-time friend, win the White House.

It would be the most ridiculous — and expensive — political ruse in U.S. history. In any other year, we would wave this off as completely paranoid and far-fetched. In 2016, it not only seems likely, but in some ways, favorable to the alternative.

Image: Dawn Foster/Bustle (1)