The enemy within
Psychological warfare, the use of strategic psychological tactics to influence or manipulate individuals and societies, has deep historical roots. It has evolved from ancient methods of persuasion and deception into sophisticated, modern techniques that exploit digital platforms. The 2016 U.S. presidential election serves as a striking example of this evolution, demonstrating how psychological warfare, foreign interference, and power-hungry individuals can reshape a nation’s political landscape.
A key factor in this vulnerability, particularly among Republicans, lies in a fear of losing power. This fear has been historically demonstrated in various forms, from violence to political policy, to resistance minority progress. For many, the election of Donald Trump represented a response to a perceived threat to the established order, an anxiety fueled by decades of rhetoric surrounding civil rights, immigration, economic insecurity, and cultural shifts. This collective unease made parts of the American population more susceptible to manipulation and propaganda.
Foreign powers, like Russia, seized on this vulnerability. Through social media manipulation, disinformation campaigns, and targeted hacking efforts, they were able to influence public opinion and sow division. Donald Trump, driven by personal gain and aligned with foreign interests, became a prime target for such interference. His business ventures and foreign alliances only deepened his entanglement with these forces, making him a vehicle for the spread of disinformation.
The success of these psychological warfare tactics during the 2016 election underscores how a population primed by fear and uncertainty can be exploited. When the fear of losing power becomes a central political motivator, it opens the door to manipulation from both domestic and foreign actors, threatening the very foundations of democratic processes.
The origins of psychological warfare can be traced back to ancient civilizations. In Greece and Rome, leaders used psychological tactics to demoralize enemies and strengthen their own positions. For example, Spartans employed psychological intimidation to instill fear in their adversaries, while Roman emperors utilized propaganda to maintain control and legitimacy. During the medieval period, psychological warfare evolved into strategic misinformation and manipulation, with religious propaganda used during the Crusades to unify followers and demoralize opponents. The early modern era, marked by the rise of nation-states, saw the development of more sophisticated psychological warfare strategies, such as the use of propaganda during the Thirty Years' War to gain support and undermine the opposition. The advent of print media in the 18th and 19th centuries further institutionalized psychological warfare, enabling the widespread dissemination of propaganda to shape public opinion and mobilize support for various causes.
The American Revolution is a key moment in the history of psychological warfare. The use of pamphlets, newspapers, and other forms of print media was instrumental in shaping public opinion and galvanizing support for independence. Figures like Thomas Paine, with his influential pamphlet "Common Sense," effectively swayed public sentiment against British rule. As the United States developed, psychological warfare continued to play a role in politics, with political propaganda and public opinion manipulation becoming central to presidential campaigns and partisan battles. The "Log Cabin" campaign of William Henry Harrison in 1840 is an early example of using psychological tactics to craft a relatable image for political gain.
The Cold War era elevated psychological warfare to a central component of international strategy. The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a battle of ideologies, using propaganda, disinformation, and psychological tactics to influence global opinion and undermine each other's influence. The U.S. employed psychological warfare to promote democracy and capitalism while countering Soviet propaganda through media, literature, and broadcasting, as seen in initiatives like Radio Free Europe and Voice of America. Covert operations during this period, such as those orchestrated by the CIA, often involved psychological warfare to destabilize foreign governments and counter Soviet influence in regions like Eastern Europe and Latin America.
In recent times, the rise of social media and cellphones has dramatically transformed the landscape of psychological warfare. Digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become central to modern psychological tactics, allowing for the rapid dissemination of information and targeted messaging. Algorithms and bot posts have emerged as key innovations in this domain. Algorithms curate and prioritize content, creating echo chambers that reinforce existing beliefs and amplify divisive content, while bot posts spread disinformation and amplify specific narratives, creating the illusion of widespread support or opposition. These tools have been linked to efforts to influence elections, manipulate public opinion, and create social divisions.
Psychological warfare has deep historical roots, dating back to ancient civilizations like Greece and Rome. The Spartans, known for their military prowess, employed intimidation and propaganda to weaken the morale of their enemies, while Roman emperors mastered the use of mass communication through public speeches, symbols, and monuments to maintain control over their subjects. These early tactics laid the foundation for more refined psychological strategies that would shape political landscapes for centuries to come.
By the time of the American Revolution, the use of psychological warfare had evolved further. Figures like Thomas Paine harnessed the power of media through pamphlets such as Common Sense, which played a critical role in rallying colonial support for independence. Paine’s ability to tap into public sentiment and frame the struggle against Britain as a moral imperative shows how propaganda was already being used to sway the hearts and minds of an emerging nation. This laid the groundwork for a nation where psychological manipulation became an integral part of political strategy.
As the United States expanded and evolved, psychological warfare became even more central to its political and military strategies. The Cold War was a particularly vivid example of this, with the U.S. and the Soviet Union locked in a battle not just of military might but of ideological supremacy. Both superpowers engaged in extensive propaganda campaigns, disinformation efforts, and covert operations to influence global opinion and shape the policies of foreign governments. This was a war fought as much in the minds of people as on the ground, with psychological manipulation becoming a key weapon in maintaining power and influence.
The advent of digital platforms in the 21st century has transformed psychological warfare, amplifying its reach and effectiveness. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become powerful tools for shaping public opinion, providing an unprecedented ability to target individuals with tailored content. Algorithms on these platforms prioritize emotionally charged, divisive content, creating echo chambers that reinforce users’ pre-existing beliefs. This environment is ripe for manipulation, making it easier for both domestic actors and foreign powers, like Russia, to exploit social and political divides.
Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, for example, capitalized on these vulnerabilities. The Mueller Report revealed the extent of Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, showing how the Russian government, through entities like the Internet Research Agency (IRA), employed social media manipulation to sway public opinion and undermine trust in the electoral process. Russian operatives posed as American citizens on social media, spreading divisive content that exacerbated racial tensions and fostered political polarization. Their goal was clear: destabilize American democracy and weaken Hillary Clinton’s campaign in favor of Donald Trump.
The Mueller Report provided extensive evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Russian intelligence agents, working under the GRU (Russia’s equivalent to the CIA), hacked into the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) email servers and those of key Clinton campaign officials, then leaked the stolen documents through WikiLeaks to damage Clinton’s candidacy. These actions were complemented by a disinformation campaign that targeted voters through social media, where fake accounts amplified divisive content to create discord among the electorate.
A particularly troubling aspect of Russia’s interference was its exploitation of the tragic death of Seth Rich, a young Democratic National Committee (DNC) staffer who was murdered in Washington, D.C., in 2016. Despite the lack of evidence connecting Rich’s death to any political conspiracy, Russian agents circulated a false narrative that Rich was assassinated by Hillary Clinton’s operatives, which was then disseminated through obscure websites and amplified by Russian trolls on social media. This conspiracy theory was quickly picked up by fringe websites and social media, where it gained traction among certain segments of the American public and gained significant traction when Julian Assange of WikiLeaks suggested, without evidence, that Seth Rich might have been involved in leaking the emails, further fueling speculation. However, investigations by U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including Robert Mueller’s report, debunked these claims, showing that the emails were provided to WikiLeaks by Russian hackers, not Rich. Russia’s involvement in amplifying the Seth Rich conspiracy was a calculated move to divert attention from their own role in the DNC hack and to further destabilize the political environment in the U.S.
The Russian government used its media outlets, including RT and Sputnik, to propagate the false narrative surrounding Seth Rich. By doing so, they were able to muddy the waters regarding the true source of the DNC email leaks, shifting blame away from Russian hackers and creating a convenient scapegoat in the form of a murdered DNC staffer. The conspiracy theory was further amplified by certain U.S. media outlets, like Fox News, with Sean Hannity and other hosts promoting the narrative despite its lack of evidence. This dissemination by a major news network gave the conspiracy theory a wide audience, adding to the distress of Rich’s family and leading to various legal battles, including lawsuits against Fox News.
In the broader context of the 2016 election, Russia's interference was marked by a series of coordinated actions designed to undermine Hillary Clinton's campaign and boost Donald Trump's chances of winning. The release of hacked emails from the DNC and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, strategically timed to cause maximum damage, was a key component of this effort. Russian operatives also used social media to target voters with tailored content designed to stoke fears, exacerbate racial tensions, and polarize political discourse. These activities were part of a broader strategy to weaken American democracy by deepening divisions and undermining public trust in the electoral process.
During the 2020 U.S. election, Russian interference efforts reflected a sophisticated understanding of the deeply polarized American society. Unlike in 2016, where the focus was heavily on creating discord around the candidates, the 2020 strategy adapted to the tumultuous events of the year, particularly the Black Lives Matter protests and the debates over mail-in voting. Russian operatives sought to exploit these issues by amplifying disinformation on social media platforms, aiming to deepen divisions and erode trust in the electoral process.
The Black Lives Matter protests, which gained global attention following the death of George Floyd, became a focal point for Russian disinformation campaigns. Russian operatives targeted both sides of the debate, aiming to inflame tensions by promoting extremist content and conspiracy theories. On one hand, they pushed narratives that portrayed the Black Lives Matter movement as a violent, radical group aiming to destabilize the country. On the other hand, they sought to co-opt the movement's messaging to further alienate certain segments of the population, particularly by framing the protests as a justification for government overreach and civil unrest. This strategy was designed not only to provoke immediate social discord but also to create long-lasting mistrust between different racial and political groups.
Similarly, the issue of mail-in voting became another significant avenue for Russian interference. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift towards mail-in ballots, Russian operatives worked to undermine confidence in this voting method. They propagated baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, often echoing and amplifying similar narratives already present in domestic discourse. This disinformation campaign contributed to a pervasive belief among certain groups that the election would be "rigged" or stolen, laying the groundwork for the widespread refusal to accept the election results.
QAnon, a domestic conspiracy theory movement, played a crucial role in amplifying these narratives, particularly by targeting marginalized communities and fostering racial and social divisions. QAnon followers often echoed Russian disinformation, portraying minority groups and immigrants as part of the "deep state" and complicit in election fraud. This alignment between foreign and domestic disinformation created a fertile environment for the spread of falsehoods about the election's legitimacy. The culmination of these disinformation efforts, exacerbated by existing political divisions and mistrust, contributed to the events of January 6, 2021. The storming of the U.S. Capitol was not merely a spontaneous uprising but the result of a long-term strategy of destabilization. The groundwork had been laid through years of disinformation, with 2020 representing a particularly intense period of influence operations. The narratives pushed by Russian operatives regarding Black Lives Matter protests and mail-in voting, coupled with QAnon’s targeting of marginalized communities, ultimately led to the insurrection, as many individuals believed they were defending the country from an illegitimate election outcome.
Donald Trump had much to gain from Russian interference in the 2016 election, both politically and personally. The foreign meddling directly benefited his campaign by amplifying divisive messages, discrediting his opponent, and sowing chaos in the American political system, all of which aligned with Trump's populist strategy. By promoting damaging information about Hillary Clinton through hacked emails and disinformation campaigns, Russian operatives helped shift the narrative in Trump's favor. For a candidate whose campaign was based on exploiting fear, distrust of institutions, and resentment towards the political elite, the disruption caused by Russian interference only furthered his goal of positioning himself as an outsider who could "drain the swamp." Trump's rhetoric and his appeal to disenfranchised voters resonated more deeply in an environment where disinformation was rampant, eroding trust in mainstream media and established political norms.
On a personal level, Trump’s rise to power through Russian interference held potential financial and geopolitical benefits. Throughout his career, Trump maintained business ties with foreign governments and sought opportunities to expand his brand internationally, particularly in Russia. His warm stance toward Vladimir Putin and his reluctance to acknowledge Russian interference in the election raised questions about whether his personal financial interests influenced his foreign policy positions. As president, Trump sought to cultivate closer ties with Russia, pursuing policies that favored Russian interests, such as questioning NATO's relevance and showing leniency towards Russian aggression in Ukraine. This alignment with Russia's geopolitical goals, combined with his own business ambitions, suggests that Trump stood to gain not only political power but also personal leverage and financial opportunities from a relationship with Moscow.
All of this is extremely well documented in the Mueller Report, which provides detailed evidence of Russian interference, including Trump and many of his team regularly communicating and meeting with Russian operatives—and we have the receipts.
China, too, has become a significant player in modern psychological warfare, particularly through its efforts to sow distrust and division during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinese government employed disinformation campaigns, social media bots, and targeted messaging to undermine public confidence in the U.S. response to the crisis. By spreading false narratives about the origins of the virus, questioning the efficacy of public health measures like masks and shutdowns, and amplifying conspiracy theories that vilified figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci, China sought to deepen divisions within American society. Disinformation campaigns painted Fauci as an untrustworthy figure, attacking his guidance on masks and social distancing, further fueling resistance to government efforts aimed at controlling the pandemic. This strategy, which targeted both public health messaging and political polarization, played directly into preexisting tensions and distrust in government institutions.
China’s manipulation of platforms like TikTok only exacerbated the problem, particularly among younger Americans. With its vast user base and emotionally charged content, TikTok became an ideal vehicle for spreading disinformation. Chinese bots and foreign actors promoted false claims about the virus and amplified anti-mask and anti-shutdown rhetoric, contributing to the fracturing of public discourse. This content, often disguised as viral trends or memes, reinforced divisive narratives, making it difficult for the public to discern credible information from falsehoods. By leveraging these platforms to amplify distrust in experts like Dr. Fauci and undermine public health efforts, China was able to exacerbate the U.S. response to the pandemic and weaken social cohesion at a critical time. This psychological warfare tactic not only targeted short-term public health measures but also aimed to create long-lasting distrust in American institutions and leaders.
The culmination of years of disinformation, social manipulation, and fear-mongering set the stage for the January 6th insurrection once Donald Trump gave the direction. The groundwork for this event had been laid through years of exploiting political polarization, distrust in institutions, and fear of losing power, especially among Trump’s supporters. Foreign actors like Russia and China, as well as domestic influencers, played pivotal roles in fanning these flames, amplifying baseless claims of election fraud, stoking fears about government overreach, and spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and public health measures. Trump capitalized on this environment by falsely claiming the 2020 election was stolen and calling on his supporters to take action, leading to the violent storming of the Capitol. This unprecedented attack on democracy was the result of a well-executed psychological warfare campaign that primed a vulnerable population for insurrection.
The January 6th insurrection underscores why it is crucial to have informed public discourse about current events, to stay educated and knowledgeable about the issues, and to consistently fact-check politicians who spew baseless rhetoric. When the public is armed with accurate information and critical thinking skills, it becomes much harder for disinformation and manipulation to take root, reducing the risk of similar attacks on democracy in the future.
But Donald Trump and the Republican Party don't want this; they ban books, appeal to emotions rather than facts, dismiss science and experts, and disseminate propaganda from foreign countries and bad actors—all to further their personal and political interests. This deliberate spread of misinformation undermines public discourse, making it harder for citizens to engage with the truth and hold leaders accountable.
The story of Seth Rich, the young DNC staffer whose tragic 2016 death was grotesquely twisted into a baseless conspiracy theory, alongside the disinformation surrounding mail-in voting, exemplifies the frightening power of disinformation in America. Amplified by Russian and Chinese psychological warfare tactics, these false narratives reveal how foreign adversaries exploit sensitive issues to sow discord and confusion within the U.S. At the same time, domestic politicians and media figures shamelessly seize upon these lies for personal and political gain, deepening divisions and polarizing the nation. The Seth Rich conspiracy, promoted by bad actors both foreign and domestic, underscores a dangerous reality: the very fabric of American democracy can be unraveled not only by external enemies but also by those within the country who choose power over truth and unity. This toxic combination of foreign manipulation and domestic exploitation laid the groundwork for the deadly insurrection on January 6, 2021. The storming of the Capitol was the culmination of years of disinformation, distrust, and division, showing how the dangerous intersection of foreign interference and domestic opportunism can lead to the gravest outcome—a direct assault on America's democratic institutions.
Unfortunately, the U.S. population was primed for such manipulation due to a deep-seated history of racism and long-standing misinformation narratives, like the Lost Cause mythology, which fueled a sense of loss and fear among many white Americans that their country was slipping away. This historical backdrop of racial and social anxiety made the nation particularly susceptible to disinformation campaigns and conspiracy theories. The fear of demographic changes and the erosion of traditional power structures created a fertile environment for false narratives to take hold, especially those that preyed on these fears. The Seth Rich conspiracy is a stark example of how easily disinformation can thrive in such a climate, where racial and social tensions are manipulated by both foreign adversaries and opportunistic domestic actors. This psychological warfare, combined with the exploitation of these fears by politicians and media figures, created a volatile mix that ultimately led to the violent uprising on January 6. The insurrection underscored the deadly potential of a society already fractured by racial tension and misinformation, proving that democracy is at risk when these deep divisions are further inflamed by external and internal forces.
