False flag attacks are problematic for two reasons:

1. they are certainly a real thing, historically speaking, and
2. a conspiracy minded individual can turn literally any event into a conspiracy theory with them

They’re far too powerful a conspiracy tool. They’re so effective, that their overuse itself becomes a smoke screen for real false flag attacks.

All that said, everyone’s default position should be to definitely not presume something is a false flag until it has definitely been proven to be one. Anything else will drive you insane.

I personally don’t think it will take a false flag to keep Gabbard from winning the nomination. All it will take is money.