READ MORE OF OLGA LAUTMAN’S WORK AT HER SUBSTACK. This revealing episode deconstructs the sophisticated Russian influence operation that delivered Trump's 2024 victory. While conventional wisdom suggests Harris lost due to poor messaging and economic concerns, our investigation exposes a military-grade information warfare campaign orchestrated by the Kremlin and executed through Elon Musk's media empire. Expert guest Olga Lautman explains how Russia spent over $45 billion building an "information laundering machine" that weaponized X/Twitter and right-wing media to divide American voters systematically. The operation included a sophisticated $45 million psychological warfare campaign targeting specific demographics with contradictory messages, coordinated bomb threats in Georgia, and strategic algorithm manipulation. Most chillingly, Putin's likely successor, Nikolai Patrushev, issued what amounts to a mafia-style threat, declaring Trump has "obligations to fulfill" after receiving Russian help. We explore what these obligations likely entail: a $2 trillion "shock therapy" economic plan designed to destabilize America, withdraw from global leadership, and enable Russian expansion. As Germany prepares for potential war and Russia eyes further territorial gains, we examine how America faces its greatest crisis since the Civil War. This wasn't just election interference—it was a carefully orchestrated operation to capture American democracy itself. With expert insight from Lautman, we discuss what to expect in the coming months and how Americans can resist as their country faces unprecedented challenges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices