How Russian propaganda relays treat Donald Trump's victory

He was at the heart of a plot to elect Trump in 2016. Eight years later, Vladimir Putin definitely does not have the same approach. While the Republican candidate won the presidential election on November 5, no congratulatory message arrived from Moscow. Worse, the Kremlin denied this Monday, November 11, any conversation between the two leaders. In the traditional relays of Russian propaganda, positions are much more skeptical than eight years ago.

Donald Trump seen as the “destroyer” of the United States

Obviously, the defeat of Kamala Harris took these actors by surprise. According to several reports published in the independent Russian press, the circle close to power expected that the democratic candidate (new window)wins by a very small margin. Thin enough for the MAGA (Make America Great Again) camp to question the authenticity of the results. Thus, the Moscow authorities hoped to see riots break out and the destabilization of the country, summarizes Medusa (new window). A strategy which is reflected in the attempts at interference observed during the election. As we explained to you in this article (new window)operations from Russia aimed to undermine American confidence in the electoral process. Moreover, the few demonstrations by democratic supporters which broke out the day after the election were largely amplified in Russian channels, with some media citing “thousands of migrants take to the streets”.

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A divide in American society that the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry also wanted to accentuate. In an interview with the state agency RIA Novosti (new window)this November 10, Maria Zakharova considered that Donald Trump must be recognized for his ability to “perceiving the United States as a sick society.”

But this is the only quality that these relays grant to the new president of the United States. “We have no illusions about the American president-elect”the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately reacted in a press release. “The ruling political elite in the United States, regardless of party affiliation, adheres to anti-Russian attitudes and the line of 'contain Moscow'.” A single objective for its actors: to defend “rigorously Russian national interests”.

Even if it means making fun of Donald Trump. While the United States raised the possibility of a telephone call between the two men, this hypothesis made the guests on the set of the public channel Rossiya-1 snicker, according to extracts translated by the collective “Russian Media Monitor (new window). “It would be cool if he [Trump] calls Vladimir Putin and he doesn't pick up”for example, joked presenter Ivan Trushkin on NTV, a private channel belonging to the Gazprom group. On the sets, the billionaire is almost transformed into a useful idiot. “I am for Trump, because he is a destroyer”for example, said expert Andrey Sidorov. In front of a particularly amused presenter, the one who has always defended the invasion of Ukraine assures that the Republican's victory will lead to “the civil war”. “Our geopolitical adversary will collapse without us even using a missile.” “Trump is doing everything to destroy America”confirms chief propagandist Vladimir Soloviev (new window).

Sarcastic remarks, accompanied by real moments of mockery. While Donald Trump's victory had barely been made official, Rossiya-1 wanted to welcome the return of Melania Trump to the White House. In front of presenters who were struggling to contain their laughter, the channel broadcast a montage of all the naked photos of the future First Lady.

A strategy of denigration which can be explained by a clear change compared to 2016. From now on, the propagandists have only one message to convey: Vladimir Putin is the boss. “Through our successes on the battlefield, in economics (new window)and our ability to hold the country together, we are now in a position of strength.”summarized for example Dmitri Evstafiev, columnist for RT, the news channel financed by the Russian state. Ditto for Olga Skabeeva. In his show, “Putin's iron doll” (new window)assured that neither Russia nor North Korea were interested in negotiations with the United States. “Moscow's position has changed”, she insists throughout her speech, recalling that in 2016, Donald Trump “licked Putin’s boots.”

We're headed for victory, without help from any Americans

Olga Skabeeva, star presenter of Russian state television

For her, as for other Kremlin representatives, the essential subject remains the war in Ukraine. It is therefore full of irony that she noted this Thursday (new window) that the plan for “solve the war in Ukraine in 24 hours” promoted by Donald Trump was doomed to failure. “Meanwhile, we are moving toward victory on our own, without help from any Americans.”

Unlike 2016, when some Russian propagandists were very excited about Donald Trump coming to the White House, this time they are clearly moderating expectations. The idea is to draw no conclusions about the motivations of the new president of the United States and continue to maintain the narrative of a Russia not isolated, but at the head of an “anti-Western coalition”. In the columns of Medusaa source close to the Kremlin summarizes: “This is not the Putin he was in 2016. The compromises [avec l’Occident] no longer interests him.”