Influencer Accused of Sharing Russian Disinformation Receives Pentagon Press Credentials

In a surprising development at the Pentagon, several conservative media outlets and influencers have been granted press credentials under new rules that prompted the departure of traditional news organizations. Among the newly credentialed is Tim Pool, host of The Culture War podcast, who was recently linked to an alleged Russian disinformation operation.

Pool, who confirmed his acceptance of the Pentagon’s new terms, appeared to dismiss criticism of the restrictive press policies in a social media post on X, joking about the requirements. “The craziest part of the Pentagon Press policy was where it said I had to give Pete Hegseth a kiss,” Pool wrote. “Kinda weird but seemed fine to me.”

The revised Pentagon media guidelines require journalists to only use information approved by the Department of Defense (DOD), a stipulation that caused dozens of reporters from established news organizations like CNN, Fox News, and The New York Times to walk out of the Pentagon headquarters in protest last week.

Following this exodus, DOD spokesman Sean Parnell announced what he called the “next generation of the Pentagon press corps.” According to The Washington Post, this new press pool includes several right-wing media operations, including Real America’s Voice, Lindell TV (funded by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell), The Gateway Pundit, The Post Millennial, Human Events, The National Pulse, and RedState. Several of these outlets have been criticized for spreading misinformation in the past.

Other organizations that reportedly agreed to the Pentagon’s terms include The Federalist and The Epoch Times, the latter being an international publication associated with Falun Gong.

The inclusion of Pool is particularly noteworthy given recent allegations about his connections to Russian influence operations. Pool was allegedly among six conservative influencers linked to a $10 million Russian scheme designed to amplify social divisions within the United States to advance Kremlin interests, particularly regarding opposition to U.S. support for Ukraine.

While not explicitly named in the indictment, reports indicate that Pool and others, including Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson, were connected to Tennessee-based Tenet Media. This company conducted interviews with prominent Republican figures throughout last year, including Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law and RNC co-chair Lara Trump, former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and Senate candidate Kari Lake. Pool himself interviewed former President Trump in April 2024.

Following the public disclosure of these allegations, Pool and Johnson issued statements on social media denying wrongdoing and portraying themselves as victims. “We still do not know what is true as these are only allegations,” Pool stated, adding, “Putin is a scumbag.” Johnson claimed he had been approached to provide content to a “media start-up” and had negotiated a “standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated.”

No charges have been filed against any of the six influencers mentioned in connection with the alleged Russian operation.

Real America’s Voice also has connections to political figures, as its chief White House correspondent Brian Glenn is reportedly in a relationship with Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

This dramatic shift in Pentagon press access represents a significant change in how the Defense Department manages its media relations and raises questions about information control, media independence, and the evolving landscape of political journalism in an era of partisan media and influence operations.

The situation continues to develop as traditional media organizations remain outside the Pentagon press pool while these alternative outlets gain unprecedented access to one of the nation’s most important security institutions.