Russia has been manipulating US Politics for Years.

With the upcoming elections people start worrying about foreign interference. Russia has been accused of supporting Trump in 2016, but what do we have to expect this time?

Less than 100 days away from the election, the media starts talking about foreign interference. To get a better understanding of this, we need to look at how Russia is trying to manipulate the outcome of the elections.

First of all, we need to let go of the idea that Russia is interfering with the actual voting process as Trump suggested. This is not about Russian hackers manipulating ballots or forcing citizens to vote for a certain candidate.

It is much more subtle than that. That’s what makes it so dangerous.

Most of us noticed the increase of “alternative news” throughout the last two decades. Breitbart News and Infowars are reaching millions of viewers, while Rush Limbaugh is the most successful radio host in the country.

Steve Bannon, Rush Limbaugh and Alex Jones have something in common that gives us an idea about how Russia is interfering with US elections.

Their ideology is based on religious beliefs, nationalism and white supremacy.

That’s not news, but how does it relate to Russia? Looking at a man called Alexander Dugin enables us to connect the dots.

Dugin is a Kremlin-approved philosopher that is known for his radical ideas. In his opinion, there is an ongoing battle between the “Globalists” and the “Judeo-Christian West”. Does that already ring a bell?

The Russian philosopher is also very sceptical about science. He is an advocate for Christian values, but open to Paganism. As long as the beliefs are in favor of strong families, classic gender roles and conservative agendas, he is supporting them, even if they include esoteric ideas. Sounds familiar?

Dugin wrote a book called “The Fourth Political Theory” referring to Marxism, Liberalism and Fascism as the three ideologies that he wants to overcome.

Dugin does not focus on the individual, class or nation, but on a term used by the German philosopher Martin Heidegger: “Dasein”. This German word is often translated into “existence”. Prioritizing this aspect of being is putting the individual experience into the center of perception and values it higher than scientific research. It is no coincidence that Heidegger was very popular in Nazi-Germany.

According to Dugin the personal experience is more valuable than scientific research. It also doesn’t matter which type of religion one is preferring, as long as it aligns with traditional family values and gender roles. Alexander Dugin is the most influential enemy of liberalism.

In Europe he inspired the “Identitarian Movement”, and in the US he backs up people like Limbaugh, Bannon and Jones.

Alex Jones had Alexander Dugin on his show. Steve Bannon is open about his admiration towards the Russian philosopher. Rush Limbaugh often refers to the Kremlin-approved ideologist on his show.

Referring to the “Swamp” in Washington and the “Deep State” is the main way how Trump established a narrative that is based on Alexander Dugin’s work. Talking about the “Globalists” behind Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden is another way to implement Dugin’s ideas into mainstream thinking.

Followers of Infowars and Breitbart are rejecting to wear face masks and believe that Covid-19 is just a liberal hoax. Most of them are afraid that anarchists, marxists and other parts of the radical left are about to destroy their country. Fox News is amplifying that fear by smearing every liberal with progressive ideas as a communist.

Fans of Qanon are talking about satanic worshipping amongst liberals and connect this idea with the oldest anti-semitic conspiracy in history. The “cabal conspiracy” is accusing elites of drinking children’s blood during their rituals.

Alexander Dugin is providing all the talking points to the alt-right movement, but it does not end there.

Not only the most famous alt-right activists are connected with Alexander Dugin and his philosophy, even Donald Trump himself is under the influence of it, but what about us?

When sharing Qanon, Alex Jones or Breitbart News, we become part of Russian interference. “America’s Frontline Doctors”, “Plandemic, “Out of the Shadows” and even personalities like Candace Owens are representing the philosophy of Alexander Dugin.

It does not end there.

Yoga teachers using their esoteric beliefs to reject science, holistic health experts smearing western medicine, racists condemning BLM and “truthers” accusing elites of child trafficking — they are all influenced by Alexander Dugin.

That is how Russia is meddling with the elections. They are not manipulating ballots, these actors have become part of the political landscape.

One way to stop them would be censorship, but that is not going to work. The alt-right already has far too many followers for that. There is only one way out of this.

The public needs to realize that they already had been played by foreign interest when they denied science, opposed BLM and believed Qanon.

Next time you share something on social media, ask yourself about the ideological background of the content. Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones and Steve Bannon — all of them have ties with Russia.

I am not even sure if they believe what they are telling their audience or if it’s just for the money. His lawyer recently claimed in a lawsuit against the Infowars founder that Alex Jones was just playing a role on his show.

Who is paying him for playing that role? Why is Rush Limbaugh always defending Russia? How come that Steve Bannon is regularly traveling to Russia?

The answers to these questions are troubling, but they give us a better understanding of what “foreign interference” actually means.