#FBI #News – #AI Review
Leadership Changes: Following his February 2025 inauguration, Director Kash Patel is conducting personnel changes within the bureau, specifically targeting those involved in previous investigations related to classified records and Trump. – Google Search google.com/search?q=Leadersh…Based on reporting from February 2026, newly inaugurated FBI Director Kash Patel has initiated significant personnel changes, including the firing of at least 10 to 20 employees, specifically targeting those involved in previous investigations into Donald Trump, including the classified documents case. [1, 2, 3]
Key Details of the Personnel Changes (Feb 2026):Targeted Retaliation: The terminations are characterized as a “revenge-fueled” move following the discovery that the FBI previously subpoenaed phone records of Patel and current White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during the 2022-2023 investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Scope of Purge: The firings included agents and support staff who worked on the Mar-a-Lago documents case and other investigations related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Internal Investigation: Patel, sworn in on February 21, 2025, ordered an internal investigation into the bureau’s prior actions, leading to the removal of employees considered not in alignment with the new administration.
Additional Removals: In addition to the “10 or more” fired in late February 2026, reports indicated Patel had previously removed over a dozen agents linked to Trump investigations, and separately fired agents who were photographed kneeling during 2020 protests.
Industry Response: The FBI Agents Association condemned the actions as “unlawful,” stating they undermine trust and endanger national security by removing experienced staff. [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]Patel, a staunch ally of Donald Trump, has described the actions as necessary accountability to “rebuild” an FBI he claimed was weaponized against conservatives. [2, 11]
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] facebook.com/nbcpalmsprings/…
[2] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kash_P…
[3] nbcchicago.com/news/politics…
[4] timesunion.com/news/politics…
[5] yahoo.com/news/articles/fbi-…
[6] thedailybeast.com/keystone-k…
[7] youtube.com/watch?v=e_NzQDBo…
[8] facebook.com/NBCNews/posts/t…
[9] ms.now/news/fbi-fires-agents…
[10] bostonglobe.com/2026/02/25/n…
[11] fbi.gov/news/stories/new-fbi…— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
#Leadership Changes: #KashPatel …
#fbi news today – Google Search google.com/search?q=fbi+news…
As of February 26, 2026, major FBI headlines include new Director Kash Patel firing personnel connected to investigations into Donald Trump and classified records. Additionally, federal agents are investigating the LAUSD, having raided the superintendent’s home and office, while the agency continues “Operation Winter SHIELD” to combat cyber threats. [1, 2, 3, 4]Key FBI News & Developments (Feb 25-26, 2026):
Leadership Changes: Kash Patel was sworn in as FBI Director on February 21, 2026, and has begun restructuring, firing officials involved in the Trump investigations.
LAUSD Investigation: The FBI executed search warrants at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) headquarters and the home of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, with the investigation believed to involve white-collar crime.
Cyber Operations: The FBI launched “Operation Winter SHIELD” to protect critical infrastructure, with multiple field offices participating.
National Security: A former U.S. Air Force officer was arrested in Indiana for allegedly selling stolen trade secrets to a Russian broker.
Criminal Enforcement: Numerous arrests and indictments were announced nationwide, including drug trafficking rings in New Mexico and gang members indicted on racketeering charges. [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8]Other Ongoing Concerns:
The FBI is warning of increased, sophisticated, and fraudulent schemes targeting the public.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported over 859,000 complaints last year, with losses exceeding $16 billion. [9, 10]AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] nytimes.com/2026/02/25/us/po…
[2] youtube.com/watch?v=wf1D3qyS…
[3] fbi.gov/investigate/cyber/ne…
[4] theguardian.com/us-news/us-p…
[5] fbi.gov/investigate/transnat…
[6] fbi.gov/news/press-releases/…
[7] fbi.gov/news/stories
[8] youtube.com/watch?v=qEZvI58Z…
[9] fbi.gov/video-repository/ny-…
[10] fbi.gov/investigate/public-c…–
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
#cia #news #today – Google Search google.com/search?num=10&new…
AI Overview
As of February 25-26, 2026,the CIA is actively pushing for new informants in Iran via social media, providing Farsi-language instructions for secure contact amid heightened U.S. military buildup and threats of potential action by President Trump. Concurrently, the agency is addressing intelligence standards and looking toward the 250th anniversary of the U.S..📷X +3This video discusses the CIA’s recent actions regarding Iran:
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CIA withdraws nearly 20 intelligence reports, citing bias – The Washington Post— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
cia news today – Google Search google.com/search?num=10&new…
AI Overview
As of February 25-26, 2026,the CIA is actively pushing for new informants in Iran via social media, providing Farsi-language instructions for secure contact amid heightened U.S. military buildup and threats of potential action by President Trump. Concurrently, the agency is addressing intelligence standards and looking toward the 250th anniversary of the U.S..📷X +3This video discusses the CIA’s recent actions regarding Iran:
–
CIA withdraws nearly 20 intelligence reports, citing bias – The Washington Post— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
#CIA #FBI #Trump
ynetnews.com/article/b1h5kkj…
Yossi Cohen of Mossad, and his political ambitions as the Netanyahu’s heir – Google Search google.com/search?q=Yossi+Co…
See also:
Yossi Cohen and interference in US Elections— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
Yossi Cohen and interference in US Elections – Google Search google.com/search?q=Yossi+Co…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the US is investigating an alleged shooting of four heavily armed individuals who tried to “infiltrate” Cuban te…
Israeli Interference in the US Elections 2016 – Google Search google.com/search?q=Israeli+…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
#CIA #FBI #Trump
Election Interference: 2016-2024 Assessments gemini.google.com/share/ac2c…Prompt: The U.S> Elections 2016 and 2024: the Israeli Mossad and other parties interferences: assessments, significance, analysis, prevention.
Gemini said:
The landscape of foreign interference in U.S. elections has evolved from the “sweeping and systematic” Russian operations of 2016 to a more fragmented environment in 2024 involving both adversaries (Russia, Iran, China) and, notably, covert activities linked to democratic allies like Israel.While the Mossad (Israel’s national intelligence agency) is rarely named in unclassified U.S. intelligence assessments as a direct interferer, several private Israeli firms and government ministries have been implicated in influence operations.
The landscape of foreign interference in U.S. elections has evolved from the “sweeping and systematic” Russian operations of 2016 to a more fragmented environment in 2024 involving both adversaries (Russia, Iran, China) and, notably, covert activities linked to democratic allies like Israel.
While the Mossad (Israel’s national intelligence agency) is rarely named in unclassified U.S. intelligence assessments as a direct interferer, several private Israeli firms and government ministries have been implicated in influence operations.
1. The 2016 Election: Private Intelligence & “Disinformation-as-a-Service”
In 2016, the primary focus of U.S. intelligence (the Mueller Report and ICA) was Russia. However, investigations later revealed the involvement of private Israeli firms acting as “mercenary” influence actors.
+1
Psy-Group (Joel Zamel): This firm, staffed by former Israeli intelligence officers, pitched a multi-million dollar social media manipulation plan to the Trump campaign in August 2016. They proposed using thousands of “avatars” (fake accounts) to swing the vote. While it’s unclear if the plan was fully executed, $2 million was reportedly paid to Zamel by a campaign intermediary (George Nader) after the election.+2
Black Cube: Although not directly focused on the ballot box, this firm was hired by associates of the Trump administration to “dig dirt” on former Obama officials (like Ben Rhodes) who had negotiated the Iran Nuclear Deal—a key foreign policy wedge issue in the 2016 and 2018 cycles.
Significance: These operations introduced “disinformation-as-a-service,” where private companies provided the same tools used by state actors (like Russia’s IRA) to commercial clients.2. The 2024 Election: The “STOIC” Campaign
The 2024 cycle saw a shift from private “mercenaries” to direct (though covert) involvement by an Israeli government ministry.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs & STOIC: In June 2024, the New York Times and Meta (Facebook) exposed a $2 million covert campaign funded by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. It used a Tel Aviv-based firm called STOIC to influence U.S. lawmakers and the public.+1
Tactics: * Fake Personas: Hundreds of accounts posed as Americans, including Black Democrats and Jewish students, to pressure lawmakers like Hakeem Jeffries and Raphael Warnock.
AI Content: The campaign used ChatGPT to generate pro-Israel posts and created fake news sites (e.g., Non-Agenda and UnFold Magazine) to spread narratives supporting the war in Gaza.
Goal: The operation aimed to maintain U.S. military funding for Israel and counter the growing domestic opposition to the conflict.
Assessment: Unlike Russian interference, which sought to sow general chaos or help a specific candidate, this was issue-specific interference aimed at legislative outcomes.
3. Other Major Parties: Russia, Iran, and China (2024)While the Israel-linked STOIC campaign was notable for coming from an ally, U.S. intelligence identified three main adversaries as the primary threats:
ActorPrimary Objective (2024)Key TacticsRussiaBoost isolationist candidates; undermine Ukraine support.”Doppelgänger” (fake news sites), funding U.S. influencers (Tenet Media).IranDamage Donald Trump’s candidacy; sow internal discord.Hacking campaign staff emails (phishing); fake activist sites.China”Spamouflage”—denigrate both parties to portray U.S. democracy as failing.AI-generated deepfakes; large-scale bot networks on X and TikTok.
4. Analysis and Significance
Erosion of “Ally Norms”: The 2024 STOIC operation was significant because it marked a rare public instance of a democratic ally using covert “Russian-style” tactics against the U.S. government.
Commercial Plausible Deniability: By using firms like STOIC or Psy-Group, foreign governments can claim plausible deniability, framing the interference as “private sector activity” rather than state-sponsored intelligence work.
AI Proliferation: 2024 was the first “AI Election,” where generative AI allowed small teams to create vast amounts of tailored disinformation in perfect English, making detection much harder.
5. Prevention and Countermeasures
To combat these threats, the U.S. has established a multi-layered defense:
Transparency & FARA: The Department of Justice has increased enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), requiring any entity acting on behalf of a foreign government to register publicly.
Tech Sector “Kill Switches”: Meta, OpenAI, and Microsoft now share threat intelligence. In 2024, they were able to shut down the STOIC and Russian “Doppelgänger” networks before they reached a massive audience.
Real-Time Debunking: The CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) and the FBI now use a “pre-bunking” strategy, alerting the public to specific fake videos or narratives (e.g., the Haitian voter deepfake) within hours of their appearance.
Sanctions: Executive Order 13848 allows for rapid sanctions against any individual or country found to be interfering, which was used against Russian state media (RT) and Iranian hackers in late 2024.
Would you like me to look into the specific details of the U.S. Department of Justice’s indictments regarding the 2024 Russian or Iranian hacking operations?Pic. – GS:
google.com/search?num=10&new…— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026
#CIA #FBI #Trump
Election Interference: 2016-2024 Assessments gemini.google.com/share/ac2c…Prompt: The U.S> Elections 2016 and 2024: the Israeli Mossad and other parties interferences: assessments, significance, analysis, prevention.
Gemini said:
The landscape of foreign interference in U.S. elections has evolved from the “sweeping and systematic” Russian operations of 2016 to a more fragmented environment in 2024 involving both adversaries (Russia, Iran, China) and, notably, covert activities linked to democratic allies like Israel.While the Mossad (Israel’s national intelligence agency) is rarely named in unclassified U.S. intelligence assessments as a direct interferer, several private Israeli firms and government ministries have been implicated in influence operations.
The landscape of foreign interference in U.S. elections has evolved from the “sweeping and systematic” Russian operations of 2016 to a more fragmented environment in 2024 involving both adversaries (Russia, Iran, China) and, notably, covert activities linked to democratic allies like Israel.
While the Mossad (Israel’s national intelligence agency) is rarely named in unclassified U.S. intelligence assessments as a direct interferer, several private Israeli firms and government ministries have been implicated in influence operations.
1. The 2016 Election: Private Intelligence & “Disinformation-as-a-Service”
In 2016, the primary focus of U.S. intelligence (the Mueller Report and ICA) was Russia. However, investigations later revealed the involvement of private Israeli firms acting as “mercenary” influence actors.
+1
Psy-Group (Joel Zamel): This firm, staffed by former Israeli intelligence officers, pitched a multi-million dollar social media manipulation plan to the Trump campaign in August 2016. They proposed using thousands of “avatars” (fake accounts) to swing the vote. While it’s unclear if the plan was fully executed, $2 million was reportedly paid to Zamel by a campaign intermediary (George Nader) after the election.+2
Black Cube: Although not directly focused on the ballot box, this firm was hired by associates of the Trump administration to “dig dirt” on former Obama officials (like Ben Rhodes) who had negotiated the Iran Nuclear Deal—a key foreign policy wedge issue in the 2016 and 2018 cycles.
Significance: These operations introduced “disinformation-as-a-service,” where private companies provided the same tools used by state actors (like Russia’s IRA) to commercial clients.2. The 2024 Election: The “STOIC” Campaign
The 2024 cycle saw a shift from private “mercenaries” to direct (though covert) involvement by an Israeli government ministry.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs & STOIC: In June 2024, the New York Times and Meta (Facebook) exposed a $2 million covert campaign funded by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. It used a Tel Aviv-based firm called STOIC to influence U.S. lawmakers and the public.+1
Tactics: * Fake Personas: Hundreds of accounts posed as Americans, including Black Democrats and Jewish students, to pressure lawmakers like Hakeem Jeffries and Raphael Warnock.
AI Content: The campaign used ChatGPT to generate pro-Israel posts and created fake news sites (e.g., Non-Agenda and UnFold Magazine) to spread narratives supporting the war in Gaza.
Goal: The operation aimed to maintain U.S. military funding for Israel and counter the growing domestic opposition to the conflict.
Assessment: Unlike Russian interference, which sought to sow general chaos or help a specific candidate, this was issue-specific interference aimed at legislative outcomes.
3. Other Major Parties: Russia, Iran, and China (2024)While the Israel-linked STOIC campaign was notable for coming from an ally, U.S. intelligence identified three main adversaries as the primary threats:
ActorPrimary Objective (2024)Key TacticsRussiaBoost isolationist candidates; undermine Ukraine support.”Doppelgänger” (fake news sites), funding U.S. influencers (Tenet Media).IranDamage Donald Trump’s candidacy; sow internal discord.Hacking campaign staff emails (phishing); fake activist sites.China”Spamouflage”—denigrate both parties to portray U.S. democracy as failing.AI-generated deepfakes; large-scale bot networks on X and TikTok.
4. Analysis and Significance
Erosion of “Ally Norms”: The 2024 STOIC operation was significant because it marked a rare public instance of a democratic ally using covert “Russian-style” tactics against the U.S. government.
Commercial Plausible Deniability: By using firms like STOIC or Psy-Group, foreign governments can claim plausible deniability, framing the interference as “private sector activity” rather than state-sponsored intelligence work.
AI Proliferation: 2024 was the first “AI Election,” where generative AI allowed small teams to create vast amounts of tailored disinformation in perfect English, making detection much harder.
5. Prevention and Countermeasures
To combat these threats, the U.S. has established a multi-layered defense:
Transparency & FARA: The Department of Justice has increased enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), requiring any entity acting on behalf of a foreign government to register publicly.
Tech Sector “Kill Switches”: Meta, OpenAI, and Microsoft now share threat intelligence. In 2024, they were able to shut down the STOIC and Russian “Doppelgänger” networks before they reached a massive audience.
Real-Time Debunking: The CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) and the FBI now use a “pre-bunking” strategy, alerting the public to specific fake videos or narratives (e.g., the Haitian voter deepfake) within hours of their appearance.
Sanctions: Executive Order 13848 allows for rapid sanctions against any individual or country found to be interfering, which was used against Russian state media (RT) and Iranian hackers in late 2024.
Would you like me to look into the specific details of the U.S. Department of Justice’s indictments regarding the 2024 Russian or Iranian hacking operations?— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 26, 2026