MAGA commentator Tim Pool was granted the first question at the White House press briefing on Tuesday, April 22—an unusual move that has drawn intense scrutiny due to his past affiliation with Tenet Media, a company allegedly tied to covert Russian funding. Pool's prominent appearance at the briefing reignited debates over Kremlin influence in U.S. media and politics, especially given a 2024 Department of Justice indictment accusing Tenet Media of acting as a Russian propaganda front.
During the briefing, Pool criticized mainstream media outlets for what he described as coordinated dissemination of false narratives, referencing cases like the "very fine people" controversy and the portrayal of Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran man deported from Maryland to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Pool questioned the White House's initiative to include "new media" voices in press briefings, suggesting that established media organizations have disparaged these newcomers.
"Many of the news organization represented in this room have marched in lock step on false narratives, such as the 'very fine people' hoax, the Covington smear, and now, the 'Maryland man' hoax. Where an MS-13 gang member, adjudicated by two different judges I believe, is simply being referred to as a 'Maryland man' over and over again," he asked
Reacting to Pool's remarks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "We want to welcome all viewpoints into this room. We welcome unbiased journalists who really care about the truth and the facts and the accuracy, and you rightfully pointed out the "Maryland man" story, which I from this podium when The Atlantic published it, on that very first day I came to this podium and said, "This is wrong."
Tim Pool, a far-right influencer who was exposed last summer for accepting up to $400,000 a month from Russian state media to spread misinformation, was given the first question at today's White House press briefing. pic.twitter.com/WoXbNp5EN1
— Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) April 22, 2025
Pool, who has 1.4 million subscribers on YouTube and 2.4 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), hosted Trump and his FBI Director, Kash Patel, on his podcast during his 2024 campaign.
His presence at the briefing comes in the wake of a 2024 U.S. Department of Justice indictment alleging that Tenet Media, co-founded by Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan, was part of a $10 million scheme funded by the Russian state media outlet RT to disseminate pro-Kremlin propaganda. The indictment claimed that Tenet Media operated as a front for Russian influence, with content aimed at amplifying domestic divisions within the United States.
Although Pool was not charged with any wrongdoing, the indictment suggested that he, along with other influencers, was unaware of the Russian funding behind Tenet Media. Pool has publicly stated that he was deceived and considers himself a victim of the scheme.
"We still do not know what is true as these are only allegations. Putin is a scumbag," Pool would post on social media.
The decision to allow Pool to pose the first question at the press briefing has reignited discourse about potential Russian influence on U.S. politics and whether or not President Donald Trump may be an asset for Russia. U.S. authorities have alleged that Russian agents have used American social media platforms like Facebook and X to spread misinformation about Trump's 2020 loss and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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