Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson responded to allegations that a company they were affiliated with had received payments to produce videos promoting pro-Russian narratives. The trio addressed the accusations, denying any involvement in intentionally pushing content with biased messages in favor of Russia. They clarified their stance on transparency and editorial independence, emphasizing that their views were not influenced by external payments or directives.
Several high-profile conservative influencers in the U.S. have claimed to be “victims” of an alleged Russian disinformation scheme, following accusations by the Biden administration that Moscow has been running a campaign to influence the upcoming November presidential election.
Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson issued statements addressing allegations that a U.S.-based content creation company they were associated with had received nearly $10 million from Russian state media employees to produce videos promoting pro-Russian narratives, including those concerning the war in Ukraine.
Although the Justice Department indictment does not explicitly name the company, the description of a Tennessee-based firm with six commentators closely aligns with Tenet Media, which features content from influencers such as Tim Pool and Benny Johnson. The indictment also accuses two RT employees of secretly funding the firm without disclosing ties to the Russian government or registering as foreign agents, a legal requirement.
Tim Pool, a podcaster with over 2 million followers, stated that if the allegations were true, both he and other influencers had been deceived, asserting that he maintained full editorial control over his content. Benny Johnson and Dave Rubin echoed similar sentiments, declaring their ignorance of any foreign influence and expressing disturbance over the claims.
The Justice Department's indictment is part of a broader effort by the U.S. government to combat alleged Russian disinformation campaigns ahead of the elections, with more than 2,000 videos produced by the company reportedly receiving millions of views across platforms like YouTube and TikTok. RT, which stopped operating in the U.S. after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, responded mockingly to the accusations.
In addition to the indictment, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned several RT employees, including its editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, for their role in the disinformation campaign.
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