Tenet Media, a right-wing media outlet founded by conservatives Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan in January 2022, has recently come under intense scrutiny. Allegations have surfaced linking the organization to Russian state-sponsored propaganda aimed at influencing the 2024 U.S. presidential election. With six prominent right-wing influencers at its helm, including Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, and Matt Christiansen, Tenet Media has been accused of promoting Russian government narratives to its American audience.
Tenet Media’s Inception and Content
Originally describing itself as a “network of heterodox commentators” focusing on Western political and cultural issues, Tenet Media quickly gained traction in conservative circles. Its content often revolved around topics like illegal immigration, claims of racism against white people, free speech, and the role of figures like Elon Musk in American discourse. Climate change denial and critical commentary on U.S. foreign policy were also recurring themes.
However, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), many of Tenet Media’s videos contained covert Russian government messaging. The DOJ noted that while the views in these videos were not uniform, most aligned with the publicly stated goals of the Russian government, specifically those of RT (formerly Russia Today), a well-known state-controlled media outlet. The aim: to amplify domestic divisions in the United States.
Russian Government Funding Allegations
The most alarming revelation surrounding Tenet Media is the extent of its alleged financial ties to Russia. The DOJ’s investigation revealed that Tenet Media was secretly receiving millions of dollars from Russian state-controlled entities to influence American voters ahead of the 2024 election. According to an unsealed indictment, two Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, funneled approximately $10 million into Tenet Media. This money was intended to create content that subtly promoted Russian propaganda, specifically around controversial topics in U.S. domestic and foreign policy.
The indictment reveals that Tenet’s founders knowingly masked this Russian funding by fabricating a European benefactor named “Eduard Grigoriann”, while privately acknowledging that their real backers were from Russia. Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, who were employed by RT, played critical roles in Tenet Media’s daily operations starting in late 2023, using false identities to avoid detection.
Political Influence and Recruitment of Influencers
Among the key players recruited to promote this content were influential conservative figures like Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, and Benny Johnson, each of whom commands significant followings across social media platforms. According to the DOJ, these influencers were paid substantial sums — upwards of $400,000 per month — to produce politically charged videos, many of which furthered divisive narratives in line with Russian objectives. In one instance, these influencers were instructed to blame a deadly attack at Crocus City Hall on Ukraine and the United States, shifting responsibility away from Russia.
Despite their involvement, Rubin, Pool, and Johnson have claimed to be “unwitting victims” of the scheme, alleging that they were unaware of Tenet Media’s Russian ties. However, their platforms were instrumental in spreading messages that mirrored Russian government goals, and the content they produced reached millions of viewers.
Legal Fallout and Shutdown
The DOJ formally indicted Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva on September 4, 2024, for failing to register as foreign agents and laundering Russian funds through Tenet Media. The indictment also accused Tenet of playing a central role in a broader Russian attempt to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election in favor of Donald J. Trump.
In response, YouTube terminated Tenet Media’s channel, which had amassed over 316,000 subscribers, as well as other related accounts run by its founders and influencers. On September 5, 2024, Tenet influencer Tayler Hansen announced that the company had officially shut down amid mounting legal pressures. This closure came just as the Biden administration imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and entities associated with Russian election interference, while seizing 32 internet domains used in the operation.
Conclusion
The indictment of Tenet Media is part of a larger campaign by the U.S. government to counter Russian interference in the 2024 presidential election. By leveraging popular conservative influencers and secretly funneling Russian funds into American media, Tenet Media played a critical role in spreading disinformation designed to deepen political divisions in the United States. As the legal consequences unfold, this case highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities of U.S. media to foreign interference, and the need for greater transparency and accountability in political discourse.
