There are still far too many voices in American politics who like to pretend that Russia has never even tried to attack the U.S. political system and has made no efforts to help elevate Donald Trump to power. The last several days, however, have made those Americans’ denials unsustainable.
Last week, for example, Biden administration officials announced a series of efforts intended to combat the Kremlin’s 2024 election-related efforts — the latest in a series — including sanctions and a criminal indictment against two employees of the state-owned RT media network who were accused of conspiring to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Soon after, the Justice Department indicted a contributor to a Russian state-run TV channel — who also happens to be a former adviser to Donald Trump — charging him and his wife with violating U.S. sanctions and money laundering.
It was against this backdrop that The Washington Post reported on Saturday, “The Russian government’s covert efforts to sway the 2024 presidential election are more advanced than in recent years, and the most active foreign threat this political season, U.S. intelligence officials said Friday.”
In a briefing with reporters late last week, the Post’s report noted, a senior official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence explained that Russia’s activities “are more sophisticated than in prior election cycles,” with the Kremlin relying on “authentic U.S. voices” to “launder” Russian government propaganda and spread socially divisive narratives.
All of these tactics, the report added, are intended to “shape the outcome in favor of former president Donald Trump.”
Confronted with all of this new information, the Republican Party’s 2024 nominee forcefully denounced Russian intervention in American politics, rejected Moscow’s assistance, and warned Vladimir Putin that there would be consequences for trying to undermine the U.S. system.
No, I’m just kidding. Trump actually defended Russia and told voters to see the Kremlin as a victim of U.S. officials.
The GOP candidate’s pushback began on Friday morning when he declared that his own country was perpetrating a “scam.”
Trump is ranting in NYC after appealing his defamation verdict against a woman a jury determined he had sexually assaulted pic.twitter.com/YkMvsUTiDP
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 6, 2024
Notably, as part of the set of unscripted comments, the former president said, “I haven’t spoken to anybody from Russia in years. They know that.” It was a curious denial, since the latest allegations haven’t publicly touched on any communications between Trump and Russia. He appeared to be answering a question that no one had asked.
A day later, the Republican brought up the subject again at a rally in Wisconsin, boasting that “the whole world” is laughing at the U.S. Justice Department for taking Russian election interference seriously.
Trump: And they said just the other day, the attorney general, we are looking at Russia. And I said, oh, no, it's Russia, Russia, Russia all over again. But they don't look at China and they don't look at Iran. They look at Russia. I don't know what it is with poor Russia. pic.twitter.com/CFnqfI8htB
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 7, 2024
Trump concluded, “I don’t know what it is with poor Russia,” suggesting the foreign adversary attacking the United States is somehow deserving of sympathy.
All of this came on the heels of the GOP candidate talking up the possibility of lifting U.S. sanctions against Russia, which came weeks after Trump publicly congratulated Russia over a historical prisoner swap. Which came on the heels of the Republican pointing to Putin for validation to justify his position on Ukraine. Which came on the heels of the former American president celebrating the fact that Putin was echoing his talking points about the 2024 election and Trump’s multiple criminal indictments. Which came on the heels of Trump telling a Mar-a-Lago audience how “smart” Putin was for invading a neighboring country. Which came on the heels of Trump describing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as “genius” and part of a “wonderful” strategy. Which came on the heels of years’ worth of Trump kowtowing, genuflecting, and repeatedly showing abject weakness toward his Russian ally. Is it any wonder why Moscow is going to considerable lengths to “shape the outcome in favor of former president Donald Trump”? This post updates our related earlier coverage.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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