An investigation has found that Elon Musk was among many who were fooled by right-wing influencers working on behalf of Russian operatives to spread propaganda in the United States.
This revelation comes as Musk has frequently aligned himself with the right after claiming to be a Democrat for years.
Russian Propaganda in the U.S.
Recently, an unsealed indictment in the Southern District of New York has revealed how two Russian employees for RT, the Russian state-controlled media operation, have fueled propaganda in the United States.
This unsealed indictment has led to the U.S. government warning that Russia is trying to influence the upcoming presidential election in November.
About Tenet Media
As seen in these documents, these two RT employees funneled about $10 million into Tenet Media, which is a Tennessee-based content company.
This Tennessee content company pushed for the creation of political videos about the U.S. These videos were then published on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Pushing Russian Interests
The ultimate goal of this Russian operation was to push Russian propaganda, including changing the narrative of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In recent years, many far-right influencers online have increasingly been against aiding Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Creating Discord in the Country
This operation was also allegedly designed to help fuel discord in the United States, ensuring that outrage and chaos were spread by these right-wing influencers.
In this way, Russian operatives wanted to ensure that disagreements and conflict remained the main features of American politics.
Right Wing Influencers Targeted
Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, and Dave Rubin were three right-wing influencers who were targeted for this Russian disinformation campaign.
All three men have denied allegations that they have worked with Russia, instead stating that they were victims of this operation and had no idea Tenet Media was funded by these two RT employees.
Influencers Clarify Situation
The government has not accused any of these influencers of any wrongdoing. In an attempt to clear up this situation, Tim Pool has tried to explain how nobody has influenced his work.
Pool said, “Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show and the contents of the show are often apolitical. Examples include discussing spirituality, dating, and video games.”
Musk’s Socialization With Influencers
Now, Musk’s online socialization with these three influencers over the last few years has been thrust into the spotlight.
According to one investigation, Musk reposted or talked with these three influencers on X around 100 times since 2022.
Musk Fighting Against Transparency
This revelation that Musk has seemingly been fooled by far-right influencers who were in turn influenced by Russian operatives also comes at a time when Musk is fighting against X being transparent.
California has fought for X to be transparent in how it fights disinformation campaigns on its platform. X has refused — and a court has found that it can reject this California demand.
Musk’s Turn to the Right
This revelation that Musk has socialized publicly with far-right influencers tricked by the Russians has further highlighted how Musk has become more conservative in recent years.
While Musk has previously stated that he’s only voted for Democrats in elections, he has recently gone against the Democratic Party and become more friendly with the Republicans.
Musk and Trump
Recently, Musk also publicly endorsed former President Donald Trump on X. Trump and Musk have even seemingly collaborated on what Trump should do if he does win the election.
This week, Trump officially announced that he was adopting Musk’s idea to audit the government if he wins the White House.
Ongoing Disinformation Worries
This latest government action against Russian propaganda has made analysts warn that more disinformation may occur, especially as we near the November election.
Earlier this year, the Trump campaign stated that they were hacked by Iranian agents. Worries over Chinese and Russian interference in the election may also grow in the coming weeks.
