In this week's episode, hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson examine Trump Administration decisions to unilaterally disarm the United States of its ability to exert influence around the world, including: the effort to shutter USAID, slash funding for the National Endowment for Democracy, eliminate Justice Department efforts to counter Russian influence, and suspend DHS programs to protect American elections--all while Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth alienate American allies in Europe.

In this week's episode, hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson examine Trump Administration decisions to unilaterally disarm the United States of its ability to exert influence around the world, including: the effort to shutter USAID, slash funding for the National Endowment for Democracy, eliminate Justice Department efforts to counter Russian influence, and suspend DHS programs to protect American elections--all while Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth alienate American allies in Europe.

From the Pell Center at Salve Regina University and the creators of the Active Measures Newsletter, a weekly dive into the latest trends in political warfare, influence, and information campaigns. 

From the Pell Center at Salve Regina University and the creators of the Active Measures Newsletter, a weekly dive into the latest trends in political warfare, influence, and information campaigns.

A weekly dive into the headlines in the Active Measures Newsletter from the Pell Center at Salve Regina University.

The Active Measures Newsletter Podcast

Unilateral Disarmament

Large language models can be corrupted by disinformation seeded online, causing them to repeat false claims as fact. But NewsGuard COO Matt Skibinski offers a solution: NewsGuard AI, a news-focused chatbot designed from the ground-up to draw language from sources rated for reliability cross-referenced against a continuously updated database of false claims.  It’s a powerful tool that puts AI to good use, particularly in the context of a mid-term election awash with disinformation from both domestic and international sources. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss the spate of bomb-threats targeting European airlines and initial assessments of foreign malign influence in the mid-term elections.

Large language models can be corrupted by disinformation seeded online, causing them to repeat false claims as fact. But NewsGuard COO Matt Skibinski offers a solution: NewsGuard AI, a news-focused chatbot designed from the ground-up to draw language from sources rated for reliability cross-referenced against a continuously updated database of false claims.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s a powerful tool that puts AI to good use, particularly in the context of a mid-term election awash with disinformation from both domestic and international sources. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss the spate of bomb-threats targeting European airlines and initial assessments of foreign malign influence in the mid-term elections.

Large language models can be corrupted by disinformation seeded online, causing them to repeat false claims as fact. But NewsGuard COO Matt Skibinski offers a solution: NewsGuard AI, a news-focused chatbot designed from the ground-up to draw language from sources rated for reliability cross-referenced against a continuously updated database of false claims.  It’s a powerful tool that puts AI to good use, particularly in the context of a mid-term election awash with disinformation from both domestic and international sources. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss the spate of bomb-threats targeting European airlines and initial assessments of foreign malign influence in the mid-term elections.

An AI Chatbot Built to Fight Disinformation with Matt Skibinski

Russia's influence campaigns aimed at the 2026 U.S. midterms seek, ultimately, to undermine confidence in the vote, not to change votes themselves. In this episode, Darren Linvill, professor of communication and co-director of the Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University walks through two Russian campaigns: Matryoshka—which makes AI-altered fake news videos for a limited audience—and Storm 1516, a more effective campaign that pays real influencers to spread invented stories of corruption and scandal, mostly about Democratic candidates. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss new evidence about Russia’s role in Brexit and the current reporting about Moscow’s efforts in the 2026 U.S. midterms.

Russia's influence campaigns aimed at the 2026 U.S. midterms seek, ultimately, to undermine confidence in the vote, not to change votes themselves. In this episode, Darren Linvill, professor of communication and co-director of the Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University walks through two Russian campaigns: Matryoshka&mdash;which makes AI-altered fake news videos for a limited audience&mdash;and Storm 1516, a more effective campaign that pays real influencers to spread invented stories of corruption and scandal, mostly about Democratic candidates. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss new evidence about Russia&rsquo;s role in Brexit and the current reporting about Moscow&rsquo;s efforts in the 2026 U.S. midterms.

Russia, China, and the 2026 U.S.  Elections with Darren Linvill

Washington keeps misreading the politics of foreign aid, and that misunderstanding is reshaping U.S. power. Rachel A. George of Stanford University breaks down why Americans are far less hostile to aid than politicians claim, what the Trump-era USAID shutdown actually changed, and why the real fight is over accountability, transparency, and strategy - not whether aid should exist at all.George explains how the collapse of USAID sent shockwaves through the global aid system, why the damage extended well beyond Washington, and how European donors responded by pulling back too. Co-hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss Russian efforts to intervene in the mid-terms as well as Russian efforts to weaponize history itself.

Washington keeps misreading the politics of foreign aid, and that misunderstanding is reshaping U.S. power. Rachel A. George of Stanford University breaks down why Americans are far less hostile to aid than politicians claim, what the Trump-era USAID shutdown actually changed, and why the real fight is over accountability, transparency, and strategy - not whether aid should exist at all.George explains how the collapse of USAID sent shockwaves through the global aid system, why the damage extended well beyond Washington, and how European donors responded by pulling back too. Co-hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss Russian efforts to intervene in the mid-terms as well as Russian efforts to weaponize history itself.

Washington keeps misreading the politics of foreign aid, and that misunderstanding is reshaping U.S. power. Rachel A. George of Stanford University breaks down why Americans are far less hostile to aid than politicians claim, what the Trump-era USAID shutdown actually changed, and why the real fight is over accountability, transparency, and strategy - not whether aid should exist at all.George explains how the collapse of USAID sent shockwaves through the global aid system, why the damage extended well beyond Washington, and how European donors responded by pulling back too. She also untangles what counts as "foreign aid" in the first place, from humanitarian assistance and global health programs to economic development, military aid, and concessional finance.

Unilateral Disarmament

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