'Series of scandals' exposes 'deep fissures in MAGA’s media machine': analysis

06 September 2024

The far-right media ecosystem has been shaken to its foundations after this week, and it could have an impact on both the November election and its aftermath.

Axios recently analyzed a varied "series of scandals" in conservative media that made headlines, and the direct effect they had on some of its major players and the MAGA movement at large. Earlier this week, former Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson hosted far-right pundit Darryl Cooper on his podcast. During that segment, Cooper suggested that rather than Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was actually "the chief villain of the Second World War." He went on to say Churchill was "primarily responsible for that war becoming what it did, becoming something other than an invasion of Poland."

X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk initially promoted the interview on his own personal account and called it "very interesting" and "worth watching." However, he ultimately deleted the post after intense blowback from both liberal and conservative users. Even former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) weighed in, accusing Carlson of sharing "pro-Nazi propaganda."

While Carlson is no longer the most-watched Fox News host, he continues to wield massive influence in the GOP. Axios noted that his speech at the Republican National Convention in July was met with "thunderous" applause. He's reportedly considered an informal top advisor for former President Donald Trump, having been one of the key influences on Trump's decision to select Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his 2024 running mate.

In addition to Carlson's scandal, the Department of Justice recently announced an investigation into Russian influence in the 2024 election by allegedly paying far-right media figures to spread disinformation. In a 32-page indictment, the DOJ said two employees of state-owned Russia Today — Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva — were engaged in a money laundering operation to covertly spread disinformation ahead of the November election.

"We’re seeing more and more. It’s coming faster and faster … and therefore it’s a bigger threat than it ever was before," Attorney General Merrick Garland said when announcing the indictment. "We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering attempts to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy

The Kremlin is accused of spending $10 million to prop up a company called Tenet Media, which in turn funded pro-MAGA pundits like Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and Blaze TV host Dave Rubin. Far-right Canadian pundit Lauren Southern was also paid by Tenet Media. The disinformation in question was posted to popular apps like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), among other platforms.

All those roped into the scandal insist they were victims rather than pawns of the Kremlin. Blaze TV fired Tenet Media co-founder Lauren Chen over her involvement in the scandal, and YouTube removed her four channels from its servers.

Axios also noted in its reporting that the "fissures in MAGA's media machine aren't simply a product of Russian disinformation — and they didn't appear overnight." The publication pointed out that pro-Trump media voices have been hit with anti-Semitism allegations in response to their comments about Israel. White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, who is a major fixture in right-wing circles, has even threatened to campaign against Trump over his support for Israel.

Click here to read Axios' full article.

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