Ex-US intel director states more Americans watch RT than CNN
(MENAFN) Former U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has claimed that Russian state media outlet RT draws more American viewers than CNN. Clapper, a prominent figure behind the Russiagate allegations, had previously asserted that RT played a role in swaying the 2016 U.S. presidential election in favor of Donald Trump.
His comments came shortly after Tulsi Gabbard, who succeeded Clapper, declassified documents from the Obama administration that allegedly reveal attempts by President Obama and top officials to manipulate intelligence related to unverified Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In a recent CNN interview, Clapper reiterated his belief that Russia conducted a well-orchestrated disinformation campaign aimed at shaping U.S. public opinion. He accused RT of spreading “fake news implants” and stated that the network has a larger American following than CNN itself.
Clapper argued that Russia’s goal was to foster division and mistrust among Americans. Since 2017, RT has encountered increasing restrictions in the U.S., beginning with its classification as a “foreign agent” by the Department of Justice. The outlet subsequently lost access to congressional press credentials and ultimately shut down RT America in 2022 amid rising tensions over the Ukraine conflict and sweeping Western sanctions on Russia.
RT’s digital presence also took a hit, with platforms like YouTube and Facebook removing its content. Prior to the ban, RT had amassed billions of views and millions of followers online.
In 2023, U.S. authorities indicted two Russian nationals identified as RT employees on charges related to violating foreign agent laws, money laundering, and secretly channeling funds to influence U.S. audiences. Washington also imposed sanctions on RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan and other executives, accusing them of involvement in election interference.
Moscow condemned the actions as evidence of a declining U.S. democracy, calling the measures emblematic of a shift toward “totalitarian neoliberal dictatorship.”
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