Useful Idiots or Fellow Travelers? The Relationship between the American Far Right and Russia

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe relationship between the American far right and Russia has varied over time. During the Cold War, American right-wing populists were in the forefront of opposition to the Soviet Union. But as the Cold War waned, the far right became more sympathetic to Russia, viewing it as the last remaining white bastion nation in a world in which a “rising tide of color” threatened to engulf the white race. Despite the recent deterioration of relations between Russia and the United States, the contemporary alt-right is increasingly sympathetic toward President Vladimir Putin and his nationalist agenda. The realm of cyberspace presents new opportunities for the fledging alliance between Russia and its supporters among the alt-right.