The Rest Is Classified 133. How Russia Made Trump: Romanian Hackers, WikiLeaks, and Hillary’s Emails (Ep 3)
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Mar 3, 2026 A deep dive into how cyber intrusions morphed into large-scale information operations. The GRU’s creation of fake fronts, data exfiltration tactics, and sloppy tradecraft that left clues. The curious partnership between WikiLeaks and stolen Clinton campaign material. How leaked DNC emails exposed internal bias and reshaped the political narrative.
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DCLeaks Launched With Obvious GRU Fingerprints
- The GRU launched DCLeaks with a slick logo and staged content to appear authentic.
- They initially posted emails from a retired NATO commander, immediately revealing GRU fingerprints and undermining the front's credibility.
Hack And Dump Model Exploits Journalists
- Modern active measures often 'dump' raw data online and rely on journalists to sift for stories.
- That lowers attacker effort but forces journalists to confront whether they're being used as amplifiers of a foreign operation.
Assange Teased Leaks About Clinton
- Julian Assange publicly signalled upcoming leaks about Hillary Clinton in June 2016.
- Assange's prior conflicts with the US and evolving ties to Russian media made WikiLeaks an attractive outlet for GRU-obtained material.