Russian Disinformation about the US Election: AI Analysis of Narratives

Digital Policy Hub Working Paper

February 25, 2025

The 2024 US elections underscored Russia’s continued role as an aggressive foreign actor interfering in US democratic processes. Russia employed sophisticated disinformation strategies to influence public discourse and election outcomes. Machine learning analysis of Russian propaganda revealed several key narratives present in the election discourse: references to “deep state” conspiracies involving Donald Trump; claims to undermine the legitimacy of the Democratic Party; and sensational scandals aimed at discrediting US political elites. A retrospective data analysis of disinformation activity revealed peaks during the 2016, 2020 and 2024 US election years. This working paper gives recommendations to counter foreign information manipulation and interference in Canada.

About the Author

Halyna Padalko is a Digital Policy Hub doctoral fellow and a multidisciplinary researcher focused on strategic communication, propaganda and disinformation, the use of AI tools in those domains, and their intersection in policy.