S2 Disinfo Deep Dive #1: The History of the "Elders of Zion"

Deep Dive: The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Epstein, and How Antisemitic Conspiracies Get Repackaged The episode opens with a contrast between Donald Trump’s claim that the released Epstein files “totally exonerate” him and Rep. Ted Lieu’s opposing view of what the documents and related issues suggest. The main deep dive focuses on the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” framed as a 120+ year-old antisemitic disinformation operation likely to resurface amid discussion of Epstein’s alleged ties to Israeli intelligence and the Israeli state. Using a Holocaust Encyclopedia article, the hosts summarize the protocols’ origins in Russia in 1903, its fabrication and plagiarism from earlier works (including Maurice Joly’s 1864 political satire), and how it spread internationally, was repeatedly exposed as a forgery, and was still leveraged by Nazi leaders and propaganda despite being known as false. The discussion highlights how the protocols are regularly adapted to fit current events, how scapegoating works, and why it’s important to focus accountability on specific perpetrators rather than blaming Jewish people as a whole. The hosts also discuss media ownership and technology’s role in amplifying propaganda, including comparisons to modern billionaire-owned outlets and concerns about AI systems promoting conspiratorial content, illustrated by a cyberpunk-style ad segment about a fictional Neuralink-like “intimacy stream.” They further explore the conflation of Judaism with the state of Israel, arguing criticism of a government should not be treated as antisemitism, and note Christian Zionism as part of the broader ideological landscape. The episode closes with a recommendation for a New York Times The Daily episode titled “The Secret Plan to End US Climate Regulations,” brief local announcements, and a plug encouraging listeners to grow food for resilience as environmental and food safety standards are discussed as being undermined. 00:00 Cold Open: Famous Political Quotes & Soundbites Mashup 01:18 Epstein Files: Trump Claims ‘Total Exoneration’ vs. Ted Lieu’s Take 03:58 Why Talk ‘Protocols of the Elders of Zion’ Now? Epstein, Israel & Prebunking Antisemitic Narratives 16:48 Media Power Then & Now: Newspaper Barons, Bezos, and Tech as Propaganda Infrastructure 18:02 Cyberpunk Interlude: ‘Intimacy Stream / Neuralink’ Satire on High-Tech, Low-Freedom Life 19:38 Protocols Exposed: Plagiarism, The Times Investigation, and the Forgery’s Paper Trail 30:37 From Nazis to Today: How the Protocols Spread, Mutated, and Still Gets Weaponized 35:41 Scapegoats vs. Systems: Billionaire Class, Nationalism, and Separating Judaism from the Israeli State 38:50 Wrap-Up: Watch for the Narrative Online + Links in Show Notes 39:58 Bonus Recommendation: NYT The Daily on the ‘Secret Plan’ to End US Climate Regulations 41:23 Community Plugs: Voters for Change Hub + Growing Food for Resilience 43:56 Final Thanks & Sign-Off: ‘Propaganda Loves You’Resources for this episode - https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/protocols-of-the-elders-of-zionhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/podcasts/the-daily/trump-activists-climate-policy.html