Latest news with #TenetMedia
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MAGA Podcaster Goes Full Suck-Up in First White House Briefing
A Trump-supporting podcaster who was allegedly paid massive sums by Russian state media used his time during Tuesday's White House press briefing to slam the reporters surrounding him. Tim Pool, who was added to the press pool late last month and opted to wear his signature beanie and a zip-up hoodie to the exclusive affair, introduced his question with a lengthy rant about a number of right-wing grievances concerning the mainstream media. 'Many of the news organizations that are represented in this room have marched in lockstep on false narratives, such as the 'very fine people' hoax, the Covington smear, and now what's being called the 'Maryland man' hoax, where an MS-13 gang member—adjudicated by two different judges, I believe—is just simply being referred to as a 'Maryland man' over and over again," Pool said. 'Now, in an effort from the White House to expand access to new companies, you've created this 'new media' seat,' he went on. 'So, I'm wondering if you can comment on following this expansion, you've had numerous outlets disparage the companies that you've had sit here, as well as the reporters,' he said. 'I'm wondering if you could comment on that unprofessional behavior as well as elaborate if there's any plans to expand access to new companies.' Leavitt replied that Pool is in the briefing room because the administration 'welcomes diverse viewpoints.' 'We welcome unbiased journalists who really care about the truth and the facts and the accuracy,' Leavitt insisted. Leavitt also refused to admit any wrongdoing by the administration regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, even though a Justice Department lawyer admitted in court that his deportation was an 'administrative error.' 'The president was always on the right side of this issue to deport this illegal criminal from our community, and it is despicable to see the media continue to refer to this individual as someone who is just a peaceful man living his life in Maryland,' she said. 'This is, was, and always has been an illegal criminal, an MS-13 gang member, and a designated foreign terrorist; and the administration maintains our position to deport these individuals from our community.' 'So, thank you for being here, Tim. It's great to see you. Thank you,' she concluded. Pool was one of several right-right commentators who worked for Tenet Media, which prosecutors say received $10 million from two Russian media executives. According to The Washington Post, he earned $100,000 per episode for his weekly show. Pool claimed he was unaware of the source of that money, and prosecutors say some employees were misled about the company's funding. 'Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims,' Pool wrote last year in a post on X that was later deleted. 'The show is produced in its entirety by our local team without input from anyone external to the company.'
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Who is Tim Pool? MAGA influencer who took money from Russia attends White House briefing
Tim Pool, a pro-Trump podcaster who took money from Russia, attended the White House Press briefing on Tuesday. He was invited by White House press Secretary Karoline Leavitt The DOJ's indictment claimed that two Russian state-media producers used false identities to transfer $10 million to the video source Tenet Media, which employed Pool and other well-known conservative figures to create content.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MAGA influencer Tim Pool now claims there's ‘no actual proof' showing he unwittingly took Russian money
Pro-Trump podcaster Tim Pool is now openly questioning whether he was actually duped by a Russian propaganda operation that paid him hundreds of thousands of dollars to post videos for a front company, claiming that the Department of Justice has shown 'no actual proof' to back its allegations. Jared Holt, a right-wing extremism researcher who co-hosts the Posting Through It podcast, sent the MAGA influencer a series of questions ahead of Monday's episode detailing Pool's career and evolution into a popular right-wing provocateur. Pool was explicitly asked about the DOJ's indictment alleging two Russian state-media producers used fake personas to funnel $10 million into the video outlet Tenet Media, which hired Pool and other high-profile conservative personalities to produce content. At the time the indictment was unsealed last September, Pool painted himself and the other Tenet creators — such as Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson and Lauren Southern — as victims who had been deceived by a nefarious plot. 'Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey b*lls,' Pool tweeted in response to the allegations. Pool would go even further in a video he posted, stating that he would assist federal law enforcement 'in whatever way we can,' reiterating that he was victimized by the Kremlin if the allegations were true about Tenet Media. Months after the Justice Department released its 32-page charging document that included messages, emails and a fake resume from the Kremlin media actors, Pool now suggests that the evidence showing that he'd unwittingly received $100,000 per week from a Russian influence operation is flimsy at best — and perhaps even false. 'The indictment includes out of context messages that are in dispute, no actual proof of said messages in fact, and claims without any corroborating hard evidence for everything else,' Pool said when reached for comment by Holt. The Independent has reached out to Pool for comment. Pool went on to say that the amount he was paid by Tenet was 'inconsequential to me and my company,' adding that the 'deal was minor' and his own Timcast company was hiring additional employees to expand its operations. 'The end of the deal changed nothing in my life, company, hiring, or plans,' he stated. 'I think you're putting too much stock into claims from the DOJ that have never been adjudicated. I'm not sure why you would assume any of it defacto 'true,'' Pool told Holt about the indictment. Pool, who hosts one of the highest-rated podcasts in America, has also said that the amount he was paid by Tenet was 'market rate' for someone of his stature, claiming that general ad reads on his show tend to cost sponsors tens of thousands of dollars. According to the indictment, both Rubin and Pool did inquire at one point about where the money was coming from, leading the Russians to make up 'Eduard Grigoriann,' a supposed banker who was a free speech advocate. 'Grigoriann's name was misspelled on many documents, and the influencers could find no evidence online that he worked at the real bank where he claimed to have made his money. Plus, a profile of Grigoriann created by the Russians cited his interest in 'social justice' — a red flag for Rubin, according to an email sent by one of Tenet's founders,' The Washington Post reported at the time. 'I think it may be because that's usually a term used by liberals, but we're trying to create a conservative network,' Tenet's founder wrote the Kremlin media producers, according to the indictment. Meanwhile, Holt noted that while Pool 'is correct that the government has not proven its claims in court' yet, it's important to point out that the two Russia Today employees named in the indictment are based in Moscow. 'Barring a radical change of heart by Russian President Vladimir Putin, it's unlikely they will ever be extradited to the United States to stand trial,' Holt added. In the end, Pool's association with Tenet hasn't hurt his company's relationship with the Trump administration, at the very least. Last week, a Timcast staffer was added to the White House press pool.
The Independent
07-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
MAGA influencer Tim Pool now claims there's ‘no actual proof' showing he unwittingly took Russian money
Pro-Trump podcaster Tim Pool is now openly questioning whether he was actually duped by a Russian propaganda operation that paid him hundreds of thousands of dollars to post videos for a front company, claiming that the Department of Justice has shown 'no actual proof' to back its allegations. Jared Holt, a right-wing extremism researcher who co-hosts the Posting Through It podcast, sent the MAGA influencer a series of questions ahead of Monday's episode detailing Pool's career and evolution into a popular right-wing provocateur. Pool was explicitly asked about the DOJ's indictment alleging two Russian state-media producers used fake personas to funnel $10 million into the video outlet Tenet Media, which hired Pool and other high-profile conservative personalities to produce content. At the time the indictment was unsealed last September, Pool painted himself and the other Tenet creators — such as Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson and Lauren Southern — as victims who had been deceived by a nefarious plot. 'Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey b*lls,' Pool tweeted in response to the allegations. Pool would go even further in a video he posted, stating that he would assist federal law enforcement 'in whatever way we can,' reiterating that he was victimized by the Kremlin if the allegations were true about Tenet Media. Months after the Justice Department released its 32-page charging document that included messages, emails and a fake resume from the Kremlin media actors, Pool now suggests that the evidence showing that he'd unwittingly received $100,000 per week from a Russian influence operation is flimsy at best — and perhaps even false. 'The indictment includes out of context messages that are in dispute, no actual proof of said messages in fact, and claims without any corroborating hard evidence for everything else,' Pool said when reached for comment by Holt. The Independent has reached out to Pool for comment. Pool went on to say that the amount he was paid by Tenet was 'inconsequential to me and my company,' adding that the 'deal was minor' and his own Timcast company was hiring additional employees to expand its operations. 'The end of the deal changed nothing in my life, company, hiring, or plans,' he stated. 'I think you're putting too much stock into claims from the DOJ that have never been adjudicated. I'm not sure why you would assume any of it defacto 'true,'' Pool told Holt about the indictment. Pool, who hosts one of the highest-rated podcasts in America, has also said that the amount he was paid by Tenet was 'market rate' for someone of his stature, claiming that general ad reads on his show tend to cost sponsors tens of thousands of dollars. According to the indictment, both Rubin and Pool did inquire at one point about where the money was coming from, leading the Russians to make up 'Eduard Grigoriann,' a supposed banker who was a free speech advocate. 'Grigoriann's name was misspelled on many documents, and the influencers could find no evidence online that he worked at the real bank where he claimed to have made his money. Plus, a profile of Grigoriann created by the Russians cited his interest in 'social justice' — a red flag for Rubin, according to an email sent by one of Tenet's founders,' The Washington Post reported at the time. 'I think it may be because that's usually a term used by liberals, but we're trying to create a conservative network,' Tenet's founder wrote the Kremlin media producers, according to the indictment. Meanwhile, Holt noted that while Pool 'is correct that the government has not proven its claims in court' yet, it's important to point out that the two Russia Today employees named in the indictment are based in Moscow. 'Barring a radical change of heart by Russian President Vladimir Putin, it's unlikely they will ever be extradited to the United States to stand trial,' Holt added. In the end, Pool's association with Tenet hasn't hurt his company's relationship with the Trump administration, at the very least. Last week, a Timcast staffer was added to the White House press pool.
