March 24, 2025: #EdMartin & Hale-Cusanelli attend an event together in Naples, FL.

April 7, 2025: Martin submits written answers to the #Senate, in which he denounces Hale-Cusanelli's past statements, says he was unaware of the statements prior to giving Hale-Cusanelli an award & says "I am not close with him."

Jan 23, 2025: Hale-Cusanelli posts a photo of himself w/ #EdMartin from a #Trump inaugural celebration & writes, "It has been an honor to work with this great man."

Jan 24, 2025: Hale-Cusanelli posts another photo of himself on social media w/Martin.

However, in an email in Sept 2024, NPR wrote to #EdMartin & made him aware of a laundry list of Hale-Cusanelli's prior #antisemitic & #racist statements. In subsequent weeks & months, Martin continued to praise Hale-Cusanelli as an "amazing guy" & "great friend," & they appeared at multiple events together.

“You cross our border illegally, you will see them,” #PeteHegseth said of the signs on April 25,…speaking to cameras for #propaganda later posted to the #DOD’s X account. “It’s clearly posted. And when you ignore them, you will be prosecuted.”

#Hegseth said Friday that he met the #USAttorney in #NewMexico, Ryan Ellison, & that the prosecutor “can’t wait” to begin charging those who cross into the area.

At least 3 other journals have received similar letters from #EdMartin, a Republican activist serving as interim #USAttorney in DC. Martin has been criticized for using his office to target opponents of the #Trump admin.

His letters accused the publications of being “partisans in various scientific debates” & asked a series of accusatory questions about bias & the selection of #research articles.

…On Dec 9, 2024, one day before #Trump announced that #EdMartin would join his new admin, Martin wrote about #Putin on the website of his #PhyllisSchlafly Eagles group. He decried the dismantling of Western civilization by “our ruling elites” & their “weak, incompetent” servants. These “mediocre” American men “despise figures like Vladimir Putin,” Martin said, “not because he’s an enemy of the West, but because he reminds them of their inadequacies.”

…#EdMartin’s …appearances on #RT surged again in 2021, when he did roughly 60 spots, compared w/ 50 over the prior 4½ years. He was often asked about #Jan6, 2021, Capitol riot prosecutions, 3 of whose defendants HE REPRESENTED, & mounting federal & state investigations of #Trump, which he strongly & repeatedly criticized.

…last Sept #US authorities charged 2 #RT employees w/ allegedly funneling $10M to bankroll *unknowing* pro-#Trump #influencers to publish thousands of videos that pushed #Kremlin #propaganda. Dual Russian-American citizens Dimitri Simes & his wife, Anastasia, were charged w/ violating economic sanctions, in part for his paid work for another #Russia state television network.…

…AG #PamBondi shut down the #FBI task force investigating #ForeignInfluence….

#Russia #StateMedia at the time promoted #EdMartin’s critiques in headlines such as one on #Sputnik International’s website in April 2023, “‘Trumped-Up’ Charges Against Former US President ‘Embarrassing’ to US,” & another in December 2023, “GOP Activist: ‘Stupid’ US Leaders Will ‘Throw Money’ at #Ukraine Unless Stopped by House.”

#EdMartin was invited by several [#Russia] networks to discuss the 2016 presidential election after writing a book making the conservative case for #Trump w/ #antifeminist icon #PhyllisSchlafly.

Over time, Martin appeared as a solo guest discussing the #Ukraine crisis & was described as a “co-host” on one show episode in December 2023.

#EdMartin has been a prolific user of social & other media to defend #Trump & his policies. His presence on #Russia #StateMedia puts a twist on Trump’s frequent tapping of TV personalities to stock his 2nd admin.

Martin appeared as a panelist or commentator on more than a dozen #RT or #Sputnik programs beginning in Aug 2016, often introduced as a #Republican strategist….

“We want to use these terms carefully, but this is a kind of #ForeignInfluence,” FilterLabsAI founder & CEO Jonathan Teubner said, adding that #RT is cultivating relationships w/American #conservative #influencers & micro-influencers as #Trump emerges as a leading figure in a #global wave of hard-line conservative #populism, inspiring #nationalist parties in #Europe & elsewhere.

“We needed to be allies w/ nuclear powers like #Russia,” #EdMartin told #Sputnik in March 2022, suggesting a missed opportunity under #Trump’s first term. “What Trump knew was you want to be allies with the toughest dudes on the street. And he was ready to be allies with #NorthKorea & with #Putin & everybody.”

…Now, #Trump’s 2nd admin is pushing US #ForeignPolicy ofcls to find ways to partner w/ #Putin’s #Russia, signaling that he is willing to part ways w/ #allies, including by staking claims to #Greenland & #Canada, pressing #Ukraine to seek peace, & shifting US resources from #Europe to focus on #China.

#EdMartin’s views in some ways track those of VP #JDVance & #DNI #TulsiGabbard, who have criticized the exercise of US military power overseas.

…Since 2017 & 2018, the #DOJ [under #Trump 1.0] has required #RT & #Sputnik to register as #ForeignAgents, reflecting #Russian government control over their operations. 5 months after #EdMartin’s final appearance last April, the #UnitedStates, #Canada & #Britain announced new sanctions on RT & several employees meant to cripple funding for… #disinformation operations around the world.