Includes bibliographical references (pages 183-200) and index.

American News in the 21st Century -- Strategic Narratives: What do the Russians Want? -- U.S. 2020 Presidential Campaign Narratives and Russian Propaganda -- Curating Chaos: Election Fraud Claims and the Capitol Insurrection -- Russian Strategic Narratives and the War in Ukraine: From Neo-Nazis to NATO.

"Donald Trump could be the greatest gift to the Russians in the history of propaganda. This is not because the Russians held secret information on him or manipulated him through some undetected network. Trump became a foreign asset because he produced both words and actions that could be used to attack democracy itself, a key strategic goal of the Russians. Trump consistently denies reality, vilifies the free media, and broadcasts disinformation. This opens the door for foreign disinformation to flow into the U.S. news, hidden in plain sight by Kremlin-style rhetoric from a U.S. president and amplified by the right-wing media. Through the 2020 election, the Stop the Steal conspiracy, and the Capitol insurrection, Russians found myriad ways to publicize the end of American democracy and the rise of Russia. The convergence of strategic narratives from a U.S. president and the Kremlin created historic opportunities for Russian information warfare. While Russian propaganda may have less opportunity to profit from the war in Ukraine, the struggles of U.S. democracy and traditional media empowered Russia's global narrative for the massive invasion in 2022. This elevation of Russian soft power could not have happened without Trump, who has been aided and abetted by politicians and U.S. outlets that favor propaganda over information"-- Provided by publisher.