--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Russia's interference in the United…" description: "\"Russia's interference in the United States' 2016 election could not have been more different from what the United States does to promote democracy in o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/tom-malinowski-5887_could_russia-s-interference-in-the-united-stat_2031898.jpg" --- # Russia's interference in the United States' 2016 election… ![“Russia's interference in the United States' 2016 election could not have been more different from what the United States does to promote democracy in other countries, efforts for which I was responsible as a State Department official.” quote by Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/tom-malinowski-5887_could_russia-s-interference-in-the-united-stat_2031898.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/tom-malinowski-5887_could_russia-s-interference-in-the-united-stat_2031898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/tom-malinowski-5887_could_russia-s-interference-in-the-united-stat_2031898.jpg) > “Russia's interference in the United States' 2016 election could not have been more different from what the United States does to promote democracy in other countries, efforts for which I was responsible as a State Department official.” [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights double standards in US foreign policy regarding democracy promotion **In simple terms:** US actions abroad differ from domestic election meddling Key Takeaway Advocate consistent democratic standards Themes foreign policy election security democracy Mood critical analytical Type political informative When to use this quote - policy analysis - public statements - academic courses - media commentary Key Concepts realpolitik ethical foreign policy Questions to Reflect On - How can US align foreign actions with democratic ideals? - What reforms ensure fair election practices? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitical constraints limit consistency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Countries Efforts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countries-efforts-3736137/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-countries-1781337/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Promote Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promote-democracy-505784/) [Russia Interference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia-interference-1286251/) [State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state/) [State department](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-department/) ## Related quotes > [Any strategy to promote democracy and human rights must have the fight against corruption at its heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/any-strategy-to-promote-democracy-and-human-rights-must-have-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [While the specifics of Russia's interference in the 2016 American election remain unclear, no one doubts that Moscow has built a robust technological arsenal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-cohen/while-the-specifics-of-russia-s-interference-in-the-2016-american/) [Jared Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-cohen/) > [Americans were outraged by Russia's interference in our presidential election, but a wider threat is Russia's doctrine of hybrid warfare, which includes cybersabotage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-shaheen/americans-were-outraged-by-russia-s-interference-in-our-presidential/) [Jeanne Shaheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-shaheen/) > [The possibility that members of the Trump team coordinated and colluded with agents of the Kremlin on Russia's interference in our elections is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/the-possibility-that-members-of-the-trump-team-coordinated-and/) [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/) > [I'm very disappointed by the mature-democracy countries. I was ousted by a coup d'etat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thaksin-shinawatra/i-m-very-disappointed-by-the-mature-democracy-countries-i-was-ousted/) [Thaksin Shinawatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thaksin-shinawatra/) > [Those wanting to improve democracy in their countries should not wait for permission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulent-ecevit/those-wanting-to-improve-democracy-in-their-countries-should-not-wait/) [Bulent Ecevit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulent-ecevit/) > [I have the deepest, deepest respect for these guys who are actually fighting for democracy in countries far away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pilou-asbaek/i-have-the-deepest-deepest-respect-for-these-guys-who-are-actually/) [Pilou Asbaek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pilou-asbaek/) > [Look, there is parliamentary democracy in most European countries, there is parliamentary democracy in Japan, there is parliamentary democracy in many countries, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/look-there-is-parliamentary-democracy-in-most-european-countries/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Exporting this Western model of democracy in countries that don't want it or are not ready creates disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matteo-salvini/exporting-this-western-model-of-democracy-in-countries-that-don-t/) [Matteo Salvini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matteo-salvini/) > [Americans are quite skeptical about the goal of promoting democracy. People feel it's a desirable goal, but, from a commonsense point of view, both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-yankelovich/americans-are-quite-skeptical-about-the-goal-of-promoting-democracy/) [Daniel Yankelovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-yankelovich/) > [At the State Department, I oversaw the U.S. government's efforts to get information into North Korea. We funded defector-run radio stations, which had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/at-the-state-department-i-oversaw-the-u-s-government-s-efforts-to-get/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [China recognizes and also respects the universality of human rights. We will continue our efforts to promote democracy and the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hu-jintao/china-recognizes-and-also-respects-the-universality-of-human-rights/) [Hu Jintao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hu-jintao/) > [We must take proactive steps to promote democracy and human rights abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-brownback/we-must-take-proactive-steps-to-promote-democracy-and-human-rights/) [Sam Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-brownback/) > [Support for peaceful reform by the people themselves is the right way to promote democracy, not the use of force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/support-for-peaceful-reform-by-the-people-themselves-is-the-right-way/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [We learned in World War II that no single nation holds a monopoly on wisdom, morality or right to power, but that we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-baca/we-learned-in-world-war-ii-that-no-single-nation-holds-a-monopoly-on/) [Joe Baca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-baca/) ## More by Tom Malinowski > [Ever since the end of the Cold War, it has been our paramount interest in Europe to strengthen NATO and to extend it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/ever-since-the-end-of-the-cold-war-it-has-been-our-paramount-interest/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Arresting opposition leaders and restricting civil society will not stop people from protesting, but it can create leaderless movements that leave no one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/arresting-opposition-leaders-and-restricting-civil-society-will-not/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Let's face it: much of what we truly value in life is rooted in our experience of repression and conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/let-s-face-it-much-of-what-we-truly-value-in-life-is-rooted-in-our/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Kim Jong Un, like all totalitarian leaders, wants above all to ensure his survival. He is convinced that a nuclear strike capability is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/kim-jong-un-like-all-totalitarian-leaders-wants-above-all-to-ensure/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [I haven't met a single person, Republican or Democrat, who thinks it's just fine for members of Congress to sit on the boards of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/i-haven-t-met-a-single-person-republican-or-democrat-who-thinks-it-s/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Words matter. Words can be a fire to the gasoline of disturbed minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/words-matter-words-can-be-a-fire-to-the-gasoline-of-disturbed-minds/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The rule of law that China's dissidents ask for is important to U.S. businesses investing in China as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/the-rule-of-law-that-china-s-dissidents-ask-for-is-important-to-u-s/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [We already ban foreign donations to political candidates, and we should strengthen that ban with closer scrutiny of credit card donations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/we-already-ban-foreign-donations-to-political-candidates-and-we/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Protecting those with pre-existing conditions was one of the greatest health care reforms in our country's history and must be protected at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/protecting-those-with-pre-existing-conditions-was-one-of-the-greatest/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [As a former Assistant Secretary of State, Senior Director on the National Security Council, and Washington Director for Human Rights Watch, I hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/as-a-former-assistant-secretary-of-state-senior-director-on-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Putin interfered in our election because he wanted an American president who sees the world as he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/putin-interfered-in-our-election-because-he-wanted-an-american/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The House Foreign Affairs Committee can and should become the principal institution in Washington exercising foreign policy oversight and serving as an alternative voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/the-house-foreign-affairs-committee-can-and-should-become-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [In a totalitarian state like North Korea, a group of neighbors gathering once a week to watch the latest episode of a forbidden soap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-a-totalitarian-state-like-north-korea-a-group-of-neighbors/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [In America, we have holidays and monuments that celebrate heroes from our past, most of whom have legacies that are settled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-america-we-have-holidays-and-monuments-that-celebrate-heroes-from/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [By the time I joined the Obama administration in 2014, it was widely expected that the president of the United States would raise human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/by-the-time-i-joined-the-obama-administration-in-2014-it-was-widely/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) [Explore all 100 Tom Malinowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) ## More Could quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [What a gift it would be if every child in the country could hear a professional orchestra at least once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/what-a-gift-it-would-be-if-every-child-in-the-country-could-hear-a/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [If my wisdom could get support from officials, I think society would move forward 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-guangbiao/if-my-wisdom-could-get-support-from-officials-i-think-society-would/) [Chen Guangbiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-guangbiao/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-mckenzie/one-of-the-mistakes-i-made-was-thinking-chickens-and-penguins-could/) [Bret McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-mckenzie/) > [I liked climbing trees and could often be found up one reading a book. I played games with Dad and drew maps for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-liked-climbing-trees-and-could-often-be-found-up-one-reading-a-book/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [I studied philosophy and ended on sociology. For some reason, all the advanced courses in philosophy were offered 4:30 to 6:30, so I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jackson/i-studied-philosophy-and-ended-on-sociology-for-some-reason-all-the/) [Lawrence Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jackson/) [Browse all 8,032 Could quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Russia's interference in the United States' 2016 election could not have been more different from what the United States does to promote democracy in other countries, efforts for which I was responsible as a State Department official.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Malinowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/russia-s-interference-in-the-united-states-2016-election-could-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Could" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/russia-s-interference-in-the-united-states-2016-election-could-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/tom-malinowski-5887_could_russia-s-interference-in-the-united-stat_2031898.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/tom-malinowski-5887_could_russia-s-interference-in-the-united-stat_2031898.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/tom-malinowski-5887_could_russia-s-interference-in-the-united-stat_2031898.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Russia's interference in the United States' 2016 election could not have been more different from what the…” — Tom Malinowski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Malinowski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Russia's interference in the United States'...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/russia-s-interference-in-the-united-states-2016-election-could-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/russia-s-interference-in-the-united-states-2016-election-could-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```