Editing Dinesh D'Souza (section)

{{Short description|Indian-American political commentator (born 1961)}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Dinesh D'Souza
| image              = Dinesh D'Souza (50755833428) (cropped).jpg
| caption            = D'Souza in 2020
| birth_name         = Dinesh Joseph D'Souza
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1961|4|25}}
| birth_place        = [[Bombay]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| known_for          = [[Right-wing populism]], [[Christian apologetics]], [[political commentary]], and filmmaking
| citizenship        = {{unbulleted list|United States|India (1961–1991)}}
| education          = [[Dartmouth College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| occupation         = [[political commentary|Political commentator]]
| party              = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Dixie Brubaker|1992|2012|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Deborah Fancher|March 19, 2016}}
}}
| children           = 1
| relatives          = [[Brandon Gill]] (son-in-law)
| website            = {{Official_URL}}
}}

'''Dinesh Joseph D'Souza''' ({{IPAc-en|d|ɪ|ˈ|n|ɛ|ʃ|_|d|ə|ˈ|s|uː|z|ə}}; born April 25, 1961) is an American [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]<ref name="auto5">{{Cite magazine|last=Jenkins|first=Nash|date=31 May 2018|title=President Trump Says He's Pardoning Dinesh D'Souza. Who's That, and What Did He Do?|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=https://time.com/5297000/who-is-dinesh-dsouza/|access-date=March 13, 2021|archive-date=March 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301141929/https://time.com/5297000/who-is-dinesh-dsouza/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto4">{{Cite news|last1=Breuninger|first1=Kevin|last2=Higgins|first2=Tucker|date=31 May 2018|title=Trump will pardon conservative pundit Dinesh D'Souza, who was convicted of campaign finance violation|work=[[CNBC]]|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/31/trump-will-pardon-conservative-pundit-dinesh-dsouza-who-was-convicted-for.html|archive-date=January 27, 2021|access-date=March 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127180225/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/31/trump-will-pardon-conservative-pundit-dinesh-dsouza-who-was-convicted-for.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|last=Shugerman|first=Emily|date=31 May 2018|title=Dinesh D'Souza: Trump 'will give full pardon' to right-wing theorist for campaign finance violations|work=[[The Independent]]|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-dinesh-dsouza-pardon-campaign-election-finance-violation-a8377546.html|archive-date=November 9, 2020|access-date=March 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109033525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-dinesh-dsouza-pardon-campaign-election-finance-violation-a8377546.html|url-status=live}}</ref><!--"Right-wing" as a descriptor is the consensus per an RfC closure in March 2021. --> political commentator, [[conspiracy theorist]], author, and filmmaker.<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto4"/><ref name="auto2"/>{{refn|Multiple sources:
* Indian-American<ref name="Stricherz-Atlantic">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/07/what-happened-to-dinesh-dsouza/374939/|title=What happened to Dinesh D'Souza|first=Mark|last=Stricherz|magazine=[[The Atlantic]]|date=July 25, 2014|access-date=June 7, 2018|archive-date=January 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129125837/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/07/what-happened-to-dinesh-dsouza/374939/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":6" />
* Political commentator<ref name="Wilson-Guardian">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/may/31/who-is-dinesh-dsouza-trump-pardon-profile-rightwing-provocateur|title=Dinesh D'Souza: far-right provocateur and key figure in US culture wars|last=Wilson|first=Jason|date=31 May 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 September 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319211525/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/may/31/who-is-dinesh-dsouza-trump-pardon-profile-rightwing-provocateur|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DaSilva-Newsweek">{{cite news |first=Chantal |last=Da Silva |author-link=Chantal Da Silva |url=http://www.newsweek.com/dinesh-dsouza-outrage-mocking-survivors-florida-school-814004 |title=Florida school shooting survivor hits out at right-wing pundit Dinesh D'Souza for mocking grieving students |newspaper=Newsweek |date=February 21, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222040623/http://www.newsweek.com/dinesh-dsouza-outrage-mocking-survivors-florida-school-814004 |archive-date=February 22, 2018  }}</ref><ref name="tomnamako" /><ref name=":6" />
* Provocateur<ref name="Wilson-Guardian"/><ref>{{cite web|title=A publisher abruptly recalled the '2,000 Mules' election denial book. NPR got a copy.|url=https://www.npr.org/2022/09/08/1121648290/a-publisher-abruptly-recalled-the-2-000-mules-election-denial-book-npr-got-a-cop|publisher=NPR|work=All Things Considered|author=Tom Dreisbach|date=September 8, 2022|quote=the conservative provocateur Dinesh D'Souza|access-date=September 17, 2022|archive-date=October 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005205442/https://www.npr.org/2022/09/08/1121648290/a-publisher-abruptly-recalled-the-2-000-mules-election-denial-book-npr-got-a-cop|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44321650|publisher=BBC News|title=Dinesh D'Souza: Why did Trump pardon the provocateur?|author=Anthony Zurcher|date=May 31, 2018|quote=all-around political provocateur|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=October 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009204406/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44321650|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-pardon-20180531-story.html|title=Trump pardons Dinesh D'Souza, says he may do same for Martha Stewart and cut sentence of ex-Illinois Gov. Blagojevich|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|author=provocateur Dinesh D'Souza|date=May 31, 2018|access-date=September 17, 2022|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920163122/https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-pardon-20180531-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Author<ref name="Wilson-Guardian"/><ref name="Howard-NBC">{{cite web|last=Howard|first=Adam|date=July 22, 2016|title=Dinesh D'Souza, Conservative Firebrand, Set to Debut Anti-Clinton Film|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dinesh-d-souza-conservative-firebrand-set-debut-anti-clinton-film-n614891|access-date=February 8, 2021|website=[[NBC News]]|archive-date=August 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812114808/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dinesh-d-souza-conservative-firebrand-set-debut-anti-clinton-film-n614891|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Stricherz-Atlantic"/><ref name=":6" />
* Filmmaker<ref name="Wilson-Guardian"/><ref name="DaSilva-Newsweek"/><ref name="Howard-NBC"/><ref name="Stricherz-Atlantic"/>
* Conspiracy theorist<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Whitfield|first=Stephen J.|date=October 2018|title=The Persistence of the Protocols|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12115-018-0282-6|journal=[[Society (journal)|Society]]|language=en|volume=55|issue=5|pages=417–421|doi=10.1007/s12115-018-0282-6|s2cid=150256723|issn=0147-2011|quote=Most recently the conspiracy theorist Dinesh D'Souza accused Soros of supporting antifa, that is, of backing 'domestic terrorism.'|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Langer|first=Armin|title=The eternal George Soros|date=April 2, 2021|url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781000373370/chapters/10.4324/9781003048640-9|work=Europe: Continent of Conspiracies|pages=163–184|editor-last=Önnerfors|editor-first=Andreas|edition=1|place=Abingdon, Oxon|publisher=[[Routledge]]|language=en|doi=10.4324/9781003048640-9|isbn=978-1-003-04864-0|s2cid=233615606|quote=The US conspiracy theorist and pro-Trump commentator Dinesh D'Souza...|editor2-last=Krouwel|editor2-first=André|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="Bevan-ABC">{{cite news |title=Trump pardons right-wing conspiracy theorist Dinesh D'Souza — World News with Matt Bevan |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/world-news-with-matt-bevan/9823560 |work=[[Radio National]] |date=1 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="tomnamako" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Savan|first=Leslie|date=July 8, 2014|title=ABC News Helps Dinesh D'Souza Hype His Latest Conspiracy Theory|language=en-US|work=[[The Nation]]|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/abc-news-helps-dinesh-dsouza-hype-his-latest-conspiracy-theory/|access-date=March 1, 2021|issn=0027-8378|archive-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118181900/https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/abc-news-helps-dinesh-dsouza-hype-his-latest-conspiracy-theory/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Jones|first=Sarah|date=May 31, 2018|title=Grifters All the Way Down|magazine=[[The New Republic]]|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/148645/dinesh-dsouza-grifter-chief|access-date=March 1, 2021|issn=0028-6583|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227122526/https://newrepublic.com/article/148645/dinesh-dsouza-grifter-chief|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Stern|first=Marlow|date=May 31, 2018|title=Trevor Noah Compares Trump-Pardoned Dinesh D'Souza to KKK 'Grand Wizard'|language=en|work=[[The Daily Beast]]|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/trevor-noah-compares-the-trump-pardoned-dinesh-dsouza-to-kkk-grand-wizard|access-date=March 1, 2021|archive-date=January 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116153826/https://www.thedailybeast.com/trevor-noah-compares-the-trump-pardoned-dinesh-dsouza-to-kkk-grand-wizard|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Rodgers|first=Jennifer|date=March 19, 2019|title=Trump is turning his pardon power into a shield|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/19/opinions/trump-pardon-power-abuse-rodgers/index.html|access-date=March 1, 2021|website=[[CNN]]|language=en|archive-date=January 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121153447/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/19/opinions/trump-pardon-power-abuse-rodgers/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}} He has made several films<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/14/spike-lee-michael-moore-dinesh-dsouza-can-a-film-change-politics | title=From box office to Oval Office: Can a film ever lead to political change? | newspaper=The Guardian | date=August 14, 2018 | last1=Vasquez | first1=Zach | archive-date=November 4, 2021 | access-date=June 26, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104064942/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/14/spike-lee-michael-moore-dinesh-dsouza-can-a-film-change-politics | url-status=live }}</ref> and written over a dozen books, several of them [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''New York Times'' best-sellers]].<ref name="NYT20180531" /><ref name="Schuessler">{{cite news|first=Jennifer|last=Schuessler|url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2010-10-17/hardcover-nonfiction/list.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|title=Best Sellers Hardcover Nonfiction|date=October 17, 2010|access-date=August 29, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517103558/http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2010-10-17/hardcover-nonfiction/list.html|archive-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>

Born in [[Mumbai]] to Catholic parents, D'Souza moved to the United States as an exchange student and graduated from [[Dartmouth College]]. He was a policy adviser in the administration of President [[Ronald Reagan]] and has been affiliated with the [[American Enterprise Institute]] and the [[Hoover Institution]].<ref name=":6" /> He became a naturalized citizen in 1991.<ref name="reuters1" /> From 2010 to 2012, he was president of [[The King's College (New York)|The King's College]], a Christian school in New York City, until he resigned after an alleged adultery scandal.<ref name="nyt-kings">{{Cite news|last=Kaminer|first=Ariel|date=October 19, 2012|title=Dinesh D'Souza is out as King's college president in scandal|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/nyregion/dinesh-dsouza-is-out-as-kings-college-president-in-scandal.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131005526/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/nyregion/dinesh-dsouza-is-out-as-kings-college-president-in-scandal.html|archive-date=January 31, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In 2012, D'Souza released the conspiracist political film<ref name="auto3">{{cite web | url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/10/dinesh-dsouza-if-it-can-happen-to-me-it-can-happen-to-you-the-world-according-to-police-state/ | title=If it can happen to me, it can happen to you: The world according to "Police State" }}</ref> ''[[2016: Obama's America]]'', an anti-[[Barack Obama]] polemic based on his 2010 book ''The Roots of Obama's Rage''. He has since released five other conspiracist films:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/10/dinesh-dsouza-if-it-can-happen-to-me-it-can-happen-to-you-the-world-according-to-police-state/ | title=If it can happen to me, it can happen to you: The world according to 'Police State' | access-date=June 26, 2024 | archive-date=June 26, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626184513/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/10/dinesh-dsouza-if-it-can-happen-to-me-it-can-happen-to-you-the-world-according-to-police-state/ | url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[America: Imagine the World Without Her]]'' (2014), ''[[Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party|Hillary's America]]'' (2016), ''[[Death of a Nation (2018 film)|Death of a Nation]]'' (2018), ''[[Trump Card (2020 film)|Trump Card]]'' (2020) and ''[[2000 Mules]]'' (2022). D'Souza's films and commentary have generated considerable controversy due to their promotion of conspiracy theories and falsehoods,{{refn|<ref name="NYT20180531" /><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/01/dinesh_d_souza_conspiracy_theories_conservatives_blame_the_obama_administration.html|title=Conspiracy of Dunces|first=David|last=Weigel|author-link=David Weigel|magazine=Slate|date=January 27, 2014|access-date=June 18, 2018|archive-date=June 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618205117/http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/01/dinesh_d_souza_conspiracy_theories_conservatives_blame_the_obama_administration.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=Peretz|first=Evgenia|date=April 13, 2015|title=Get a Rare Glimpse of Dinesh D'Souza's Life After Conviction|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/04/dinesh-dsouza-video-life-after-conviction|access-date=2021-06-23|website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411221652/http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/04/dinesh-dsouza-video-life-after-conviction|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Zurcher|first=Anthony|date=2018-05-31|title=Why did Trump pardon Dinesh D'Souza?|language=en-GB|work=[[BBC]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44321650|access-date=2020-01-15|archive-date=October 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009204406/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44321650|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-pardons-dinesh-dsouza-2018-5|title=Trump announces he will pardon conservative pundit Dinesh D'Souza, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance fraud in 2014|last=Mark|first=Michelle|website=Business Insider|access-date=2020-01-15|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115153955/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-pardons-dinesh-dsouza-2018-5|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="tomnamako">{{Cite web|last1=Namako|first1=Tom|last2=Georgantopoulos|first2=Mary Ann|date=May 31, 2018|title=Trump Says He Will Pardon Far-Right Commentator Dinesh D'Souza|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tomnamako/trump-pardon-dinesh-dsouza|access-date=February 8, 2021|website=[[BuzzFeed News]]|language=en|archive-date=January 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121061015/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tomnamako/trump-pardon-dinesh-dsouza|url-status=live}}</ref>}} as well as for their incendiary nature.<ref name="NYT20180531" />

In 2014, D'Souza pleaded guilty in federal court to one [[felony]] charge of using a "[[straw donor]]" to make an [[Campaign finance in the United States#Sources of campaign funding|illegal campaign contribution]].<ref name="fbi">{{cite web|url=https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newyork/news/press-releases/dinesh-dsouza-sentenced-in-manhattan-federal-court-to-five-years-of-probation-for-campaign-finance-fraud|title=Dinesh D'Souza Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Five Years of Probation for Campaign Finance Fraud|date=September 23, 2014|access-date=May 31, 2018|archive-date=October 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011111208/https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newyork/news/press-releases/dinesh-dsouza-sentenced-in-manhattan-federal-court-to-five-years-of-probation-for-campaign-finance-fraud|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="felony">{{cite news|first=David A.|last=Graham|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/does-the-latest-manafort-news-vindicate-trumps-wiretap-claim/540321/|title=Is Trump's 'Wiretap' Claim Vindicated?|publisher=[[The Atlantic (magazine)|The Atlantic]]|date=September 19, 2017|access-date=September 20, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920011905/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/does-the-latest-manafort-news-vindicate-trumps-wiretap-claim/540321/|archive-date=September 20, 2017}}</ref> He was sentenced to eight months incarceration in a [[halfway house]] near his home in [[San Diego]], five years' probation, and a $30,000 fine.<ref name="Raymond" /><ref name="Mahler" /> In 2018, D'Souza was issued a [[Federal pardons in the United States|pardon]] by President [[Donald Trump]].<ref name=":9" />

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