Elizabeth Graham, an expert on the Trump-Putin relationship, asserts that Russia has tremendous influence over U.S. elections and is executing a long-term strategic takeover of the United States. Her articles have reached 11.7 million readers, and she writes a popular Substack on democracy, Russia, and U.S. politics. Graham's unique insights stem from her 20 years working in strategic cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, and Almaty, where she experienced the fall of the USSR and the rise of Vladimir Putin. She was invited to join the KGB at least five times and was told that her ability to speak Russian and enter the U.S. Embassy would benefit Russia.
Graham warns that Putin's plan, outlined in the 1997 publication The Foundations of Geopolitics, aims to undermine the U.S. from the top down by placing a manipulable man in the presidency and from the bottom up by infiltrating the country with Russian Organized Crime. She points to recent events as evidence of Putin's growing influence over President Trump, including the U.S. stopping support for Ukraine, the war in Iran benefiting Russia and China, the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from multiple regions, which weakens NATO and American military power.
Perhaps most consequential is the shutdown of USAID, an agency Graham worked with as a consultant. USAID's reports included political and governmental information that was shared with the CIA, a fact Putin knew. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health warns that USAID's closure could cause approximately 22 million preventable deaths in Africa by 2030, mostly children. Graham states, "This action alone would place Donald Trump at the top of history's most ruthless mass killers, surpassing even Stalin and Hitler in cruelty."
Graham emphasizes that many Americans overlook the grave threat because they are distracted by Trump's sensationalism and tariff obsession. She notes that Trump has long been tied to Russian interests through money and business deals, and that Capital One closed roughly 300 bank accounts linked to his businesses due to an anti-money laundering review. She also points to Trump's attempts to illegally change election rules, warning that without intervention, the U.S. may hold its last free election in November 2026.
Graham's expertise is grounded in her personal experiences, including meeting with President Yeltsin, Mayor Sobchuk, Vice Mayor Putin, and former President Gorbachev. She also endured the excruciating pain of her oldest daughter's death, which Tokyo Police ruled a homicide by an unknown substance, a signature method used by Russians.
