Russia Targeted Past US Elections. Will It Meddle in the Midterms?
Summary
David Korn, author of *How Russia Won*, discusses his new book on the continuous Russian interference in U.S. elections from 2016 to 2024. He details how Russian operations aided Donald Trump’s victories and how Trump’s denialism and dismantling of counterintelligence agencies have left the 2026 midterms vulnerable. The conversation also explores Trump’s personal affinity for Vladimir Putin and how this relationship has weakened Western alliances and American democratic institutions.
Topics discussed
Introduction: David K and the book 'How Russia Won'
Sponsor: Progressive Insurance
Listener support and membership drive
Context: Russian interference from 2016 to 2024
Why revisit 2016: The continuous 'twilight war'
Decimation of agencies monitoring election interference
Evidence: Mueller report and Senate Intelligence Committee
Bipartisan confirmation of Russian attack and Trump's role
The Steele Dossier: Origins, content, and 'steel deflection'
2020 Election: Andrey Derkha and the Giuliani operation
Agency paralysis and the failure of the 2020 counter-effort
2024 Election: Disinformation reach and Tim Walz smear
Sponsor: Reveal News listener gifts
Sponsor: Where is Austin Tice podcast
Trump's long-standing affinity and obsession with Putin
The 2025 Alaska meeting: Legitimizing Putin's war
KGB tactics vs. Trump's narcissism: A dynamic analysis
Putin's broader strategy to weaken the Western alliance
Predictions for 2026 midterms: Amplifying election illegitimacy
How Russia won: Chaos, weakened alliances, and division
Conclusion and show credits
Sponsor: Odo business software
Listen ad-free on Castria