How Putin Weakened the U.S. with Trump's Help
Summary
David Korn, Washington Bureau Chief of Mother Jones, discusses his new book, *How Russia Won*, detailing a decade-long Russian shadow war to subvert Western democracies. He argues that Putin successfully installed Donald Trump as an agent of chaos who actively undermines NATO and amplifies Russian disinformation. Korn analyzes recent events, including the dubious "diesel deal" and the FBI director’s suspicious trip to Moscow, as evidence of this ongoing infiltration. The episode also reviews specific covert operations, such as the use of Russian intelligence assets to smear political oppone…
Topics discussed
Introduction and guest background
Book overview and recent news context
The Russia-Ukraine deal and Trump's patience
Diesel prices and public perception
Sanctions bill and political alignment
Pressure on Zelensky and surrender demands
Trump's accountability and double standards
Trump's truthfulness and contradictory statements
Unverified deals and scapegoating Zelensky
Mystery of the FBI trip to Russia
Kash Patel's ties to Russian propaganda
The premise of 'How Russia Won'
Shadow warfare and subverting the West
Erosion of US institutions and democracy
Putin's strategic gains and covert operations
Giuliani's smear campaign and Russian agents
Manafort, GRU, and election interference
The 'collusion' question and 2016 betrayal
Trump's affinity for Putin and strongmen
Future threats and 2026 election disinformation
Where to find David Korn's work
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