this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2025
907 points (98.5% liked)

politics

22011 readers
4314 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Summary

Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old DOGE staffer recently promoted to a senior adviser role in the State Department, is reportedly the grandson of former KGB spy Valery Martynov.

Martynov was executed in the Soviet Union after being exposed as an FBI informant. Coristine, an alleged former cybercriminal, previously worked in the General Services Administration and now has potential access to sensitive diplomatic data.

Concerns have been raised over his background and apparent lack of a security check.

The situation fuels fears about foreign influence in U.S. government operations.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] simplejack@lemmy.world 174 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Big Balls looks like a Connecticut boat shoe that came to life.

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 88 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

He looks like a half dressed toddler. Nice of him to give everyone an immediate visual cue for what they’re about to deal with, I guess.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago

Maybe musk will start carrying him around.

[–] LillyPip@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I love it when the Nazis make themselves this punchable. Makes it easier for the sentiment* to take hold.

e: autocorrect fail

[–] Veedem@lemmy.world 30 points 3 weeks ago

That’s a wonderfully specific yet accurate description. Up you go.

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sporting that bussin' broccoli top 🥦

[–] CoopaLoopa@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago

Big Broccoli

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

I know it's a long shot, but I so want sanity restored and people like him rounded the fuck up and charged with breaking into government systems.

I want the legal system to wipe that fucking smug look right off their faces.

[–] artichokecustard@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

"had to do it to 'em"

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 115 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

[slightly off topic]

I'm a native of the Northeastern United States and I've lived in numerous areas depicted in the media as being under the influence of 'organized crime.' To wit, Harlem, lower Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen, and Staten Island.

Actual tough guys never have nicknames like 'Big Balls.' Never. The guys you fear have names like 'the Chin,' or 'Bumpy,' or 'Legs.' Al Capone's buddies called him 'Snorky.'

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 59 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Yeah street names are always an endearing insult

[–] sp3tr4l@lemmy.zip 29 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Pilot's nicknames / unofficial callsigns often are as well, some kind of back handed reference to a fuck-up or troublesome character trait.

[–] Adm_Drummer@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Knew a pilot who's nickname was über. Last name? Guay.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Know_not_Scotty_does@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The exception to that is one I read about a few years back about a carrier based pilot. Callsign was S T A B which stood for shit twice and bailed

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Cort@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Maybe that's what this is. Like calling a fat guy slim, or a tall guy tiny. Maybe he's used to many steroids and actually shrunk his balls

[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Look at his photo... there's no steroid use there. He's just got a pair of undescended testes, they're missing.

[–] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

That's horrifying, wtf happened?

[–] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

A 23-year-old dubbed the Russian “Popeye” had three pounds of dead muscle removed after his DIY bodybuilding injections went awry.

Kirill Tereshin used petroleum jelly to build fake muscle mass in his arms. Before he underwent critical surgery, his arms were approximately 24 inches in diameter.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6198555/russian-popeye-bodybuilder-injections/

[–] Wispy2891@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

WTF I assumed it was a Photoshop

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Cort@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Lol, I didn't say he worked out, just that he took the steroids. Probably thinking they'd do all the work for him.

Though your theory seems to have some merit.

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 3 weeks ago

Allegedly Elon’s chest shape is what happens when you take HGH and don’t exercise. Not a doctor or a bodybuilder so I can’t say whether that’s true, but if the shoe fits ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[–] GeeDubHayduke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I worked in construction and we used radios to communicate between crews. One kid insisted we call him 'AntDawg.' His name was Anthony.

It's started with 'Labradoodle.' He put up with that for two days before bitching he didn't wanna be Labradoodle. Everyone agreed it was too annoying over the radio, so we all agreed to shorten it. Doodle still hates his name.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] redwattlebird 91 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Surely the fact that he's 19 and a senior advisor in a state department is more damning than his lineage? And that Trump is very obviously friendly with Putin?

I think this familial connection is just a storm in a teacup which is sitting inside a much larger storm.

[–] Placebonickname@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

U know what I was doing at 19 years old? Nothing…nothing that counted as work. I won a bacon eating contest at college and played a ton of Mario Kart 64.

[–] stardust@lemmy.ca 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

And that was very responsible of you. Wish more people would be participating in bacon eating contests over actively making the world a worse place. Please play video games and go have harmless fun. It's better for society.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] watson387@sopuli.xyz 81 points 3 weeks ago

You can't even make this shit up...

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 46 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It is so sad how fitting this image is and will be for the foreseeable future.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Even if this stupid asshole isn't related to a KGB spy...WTAF:

recently promoted to a senior adviser role in the State Department

He's a FUCKING TEENAGER. The guy cannot even legally drink. Cannot rent a car.

[–] pyre@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

Elon's just excited he found someone almost as rizzless as he is.

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 28 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (8 children)

I don’t get this angle.

So his grandparent was someone who on being exposed to the American way of life converted to the American side, helped America, and was killed by the Soviets for it. And they’re what, worried this previous generations pro-American views will somehow influence the kid today?

Go with them being a cybercriminal thing, not some bizzaro sins of the father nonsense.

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It's the kind of thing you'd have to disclose before getting a security clearance. And the FBI would be the ones to decide if it's okay. Not Elon.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Aqarius@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

The angle is that the Overton window shifted so far right that the disagreement is now which foreigners (and secret, domestic foreigners) are to blame for the country's decline.

load more comments (6 replies)
[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"Big Balls" huh. This is 100% the same situation as calling the dude that can bench a school bus "Tiny".

Looking at a photo, this dude definitely has a pair of undescended testicles. They're missing for sure.

[–] P1nkman@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

He's like a dog, but his balls never dropped.

[–] eugenevdebs@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

What kind of North Korean "sins of the father" shit is this?

Punish him for his actions of helping Musk take over the government in a coup, not that his grandad did spycraft every nation did in the Cold War.

I don't care if he was the grandson of Jesus Christ and Buddha if he is a dipshit fascist. Fascists get called out for being fascists, not being related to one they might have never known.

[–] michaelmrose@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago (23 children)

National security isn't fair because its more important than being fair and those who are for any reasons suspect are free to do any of the other hundreds of millions of jobs.

People are absolutely suspect because of their associations.

[–] Mic_Check_One_Two@reddthat.com 10 points 3 weeks ago

Exactly this. Top Secret clearance typically extends out to three degrees of separation. They’ll check on you, your friends/family, and their friends/family. Because when national security is concerned, they don’t want to risk a leak due to something like a cousin being a spy and going drinking after work with the employee.

load more comments (22 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] grue@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago

How the Hell does someone have a background as both a cybercriminal and a GSA employee at 19? I mean, sure, you can be a cybercriminal as an adolescent. But why is the GSA even hiring anybody that young at all?

[–] wirebeads@lemmy.ca 17 points 3 weeks ago

America is Putins puppet. Musk is sitting in between getting richer while Trump does Russia’s wants.

Look at the Russian playbook. Look at the current U.S. playbook.

Insert image of “the office <they’re the same image>.jpg here.

[–] NotLemming@lemm.ee 15 points 3 weeks ago
[–] Kalysta@lemm.ee 15 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

And what is anyone doing about it?

I am seeing nothing but stories today about how trump, musk, and musk’s incel groupies are all tied to russia. And no one arresting them for being undocumented foreign agents.

So why bother reporting?

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

There's plenty to go off here, but this is a stretch.

My grandfathers were an RAAF pilot and a South African Navy man. None of that has anything to do with what I am. I'd be unprepared if people started attacking me about such topics as I know almost nothing about them.

[–] Psaldorn@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Counter point: KGB spies trained for the long con, having families, naturalising, bringing their kids into the system.

In most other things lineage like that doesn't matter, you're right. But this one time..

[–] KazuyaDarklight@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

In this case though the KGB agent was killed by Russia for being an FBI double agent. This is a weird angle of attack. I HATE "DODGE" and this kid almost assuredly shouldn't be in the position they are, but for other reasons.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Shardikprime@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

Big balls attacks again

[–] VerilyFemme@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 3 weeks ago

wtf are current events even lmao

[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Wouldn't they have been a double agent, if they were an FBI informant working in the KGB?

[–] qprimed@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 weeks ago

Per Silverman’s research, Martynov was an officer in the technical espionage division of the Russian intelligence agency back in 1980, when he was sent to the United States to serve as an undercover agent at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C. About two years into his stay, Martynov got flipped by the FBI and started to feed the US government Soviet secrets.

so not a planted double agent.

load more comments
view more: next ›