131. How Russia Made Trump: Stealing Washington’s Secrets (Ep 2)

The Rest Is Classified

Goalhanger

History

4.4 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 February 2026

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Donald Trump is gaining ground in the 2016 presidential race, but what does his rise mean for Russian hackers desperate to take down Hillary Clinton? In the second episode of our series on Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, David and Gordon delve inside the Russian active measures campaign to hack the campaigns of the Democratic and Republican candidates. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to ⁠⁠therestisclassified.com⁠ or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee ------------------- Email: therestisclassified@goalhanger.com Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@restisclassified Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	For exclusive interviews, bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to series,
0:09.0	first look at live show tickets, a weekly newsletter, and discounted books,
0:13.1	join the Declassified Club in the 2016 presidential race.
0:29.8	But what does his rise mean for Russian hackers desperate to take down Hillary Clinton?
0:36.1	Well, welcome to the rest is classified.
0:37.7	I'm Gordon Carrera.
0:38.7	And I'm David McCloskey.
0:39.9	And this is the second part of our series looking at Russia, interfering in the U.S. 2016 election.
0:46.8	Last time, David, we looked at this concept of the active measure, something which goes back to KGB days.
0:52.5	Or before, before I remember you edited. you edited out my deep historical context, Gordon.
0:58.4	Let's just say it goes back a long way.
1:00.2	We're 20 seconds into the episode.
1:02.9	I'm already angry again about your vicious editing.
1:06.8	It's about the active measure, back to the story story is the desire to influence, to undermine,
1:12.2	often using information as a weapon. And last time we looked at how under Vladimir Putin,
1:18.3	he, the Russian leader, came to view the West as weaponising information against him,
1:23.6	and he's determined to use his own methods to fight back.
1:34.1	And one of these methods, David, will be something which is known as hack and leak.
1:35.1	Well, that's right, Gordon.
1:43.7	You know, last time we looked at how often very real documents and fake material can be kind of swizzled together and then pushed at journalists who were always,
1:47.1	Gordon, of course, as you know, just keen to report whatever comes into their hands.
1:51.1	Subject to manipulation by malicious spies, you mean.
	...

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