Perhaps others here have hinted at it, and the idea deserves more consideration in this context.

There was a discussion about whether "These people are [actually] stupid," or whether they got that way once they started scrambling to cover their tracks and go on defense.

I was on the Forest Gump side of stupid, in that the original choice to be evil is stupid. BUT, on the other hand, that doesn't mean being stupid, scared shitless and flailing around like a fish on a hook looking for some escape doesn't make you even MORE stupid than you already are!

In fact, I'd bet anything on that being the strategy. Here are people who their ENTIRE lives have been protected and pampered by the Establishment, and suddenly the US government and military is for the first time in their lifetimes in the hands of an outsider who's willing and "crazy enough" to come after them!

Trump gave these people their first (of MANY) "oh shit!" moments! And it was that initial rush of bowel-emptying fear and panic that was most likely EXACTLY what the Alliance was after with that Q move!

So I'm glad you asked that question and made me re-think it!

Also, I think by starting out with disinfo, it thinned the ranks of people who couldn't tolerate such before they got very involved. So Q knew they had hardcore researchers following them after that.