Former Secret Service agent and conservative commentator Dan Bongino sounded the alarm about what he suspects could be a Justice Department effort to entrap conservative influencers in an alleged Russian interference plot. This comes in the wake of a DOJ announcement about the seizure of 32 domains reportedly tied to a Russian influence campaign aimed at manipulating U.S. and foreign elections.
Bongino expressed his concerns on his podcast, pointing out that while no direct accusations have been made, conservatives need to be cautious. “I’m not accusing anyone specifically,” Bongino said. “But I’d be remiss as a former federal agent to not warn people that given these accusations, are other people working with the feds right now to try to ensnare other conservative influencers into this alleged operation”
His warning came on the heels of the DOJ’s latest claim that U.S. prosecutors had uncovered a Tennessee-based content creation company allegedly funded by Russian state interests. The Justice Department accused two employees of RT, a Russian state-owned media outlet, of funneling nearly $10 million to this company to produce Russia-friendly content. According to prosecutors, the company’s influencers, without their knowledge, may have been used to push Russian narratives.
Though the DOJ claims these influencers may have been unknowingly involved, Bongino isn’t taking any chances. He stressed the need for caution in the conservative space. “Be very careful who you’re emailing, and be very careful who you’re talking to,” Bongino warned. “You don’t know if the person on the other end is working with the feds on the other end of the line.”
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The DOJ’s allegations implicated several big-name influencers. Six main personalities from Tenet Media—Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, and Matt Christiansen—collectively hold massive followings on platforms like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter), with more than 7 million subscribers on YouTube and over 7 million followers on X.
The accusations are part of a move by the Biden administration’s Justice Department to target Russian interference efforts. However, the DOJ’s claim that RT employees secretly funneled money to Tenet Media for pro-Russian propaganda ignited skepticism among conservatives who already view the DOJ’s actions as politically motivated.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the seizure of 32 internet domains used in Russian government-directed influence campaigns, known as “Doppelganger.” These campaigns, orchestrated by Russian entities such as the Social Design Agency and Structura National Technology, were reportedly aimed at spreading propaganda to influence international support for Ukraine, promote pro-Russian policies, and interfere in elections, including the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election according to the DOJ. The domains mimicked legitimate media outlets and were used to deceive viewers into consuming Russian state-sponsored content.
The DOJ said the operation, led by top officials within Vladimir Putin’s administration, utilized tactics like cybersquatting, fake influencers, and AI-generated narratives to target specific U.S. demographics. The Treasury Department also sanctioned individuals and entities involved in these efforts.
This is not the first time the DOJ has leveled accusations of Russian interference. Since 2016, concerns over foreign influence in U.S. elections have been at the forefront, with Russia frequently at the center of such claims. But Bongino, along with others in the conservative space, sees these latest moves as part of a larger operation to discredit and silence conservative voices. For many on the right, the DOJ’s actions seem to be following a familiar pattern.
