This Tuesday Tech Drop highlights a Bulwark report that Tenet Media cofounder Lauren Chen thanked U.S. agencies after she and her husband were allowed back into the country amid a federal probe into alleged Russian payments to MAGA influencers. Senator Chris Murphy criticized the administration, while a State Department adviser publicly reshared Chen’s message. The roundup also covers a satirical domain targeting the Kennedy Center naming, New York’s new warning labels for young social-media users, and Bernie Sanders’ call to pause new data centers to study AI’s impact.
Report: Trump Administration Officials Helped MAGA Influencer Reenter U.S. Amid Probe — Tech & Politics Roundup
Happy Tuesday. This is the final Tuesday Tech Drop of the year — a roundup of last week’s top stories at the intersection of technology and politics.
Influencer Reentry Amid Federal Probe
Reporting from The Bulwark indicates the Trump administration appears to have taken steps that allowed Tenet Media cofounder Lauren Chen and her husband, both Canadian citizens, to reenter the United States after Chen’s work visa was revoked. The visa action occurred amid an ongoing federal investigation into allegations that a media company was used by actors linked to Russia to pay U.S.-based MAGA influencers to spread divisive, pro-Russian content.
Chen posted public thanks to the State Department, the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for assisting her and her husband’s return. Joe Rittenhouse, a senior State Department adviser, reshared Chen’s message on X and wrote that he was "so happy to help correct the wrongs of the past administration." The FBI declined to comment to MS NOW, and representatives for the State Department and CBP did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Bulwark reported neither Chen nor Rittenhouse responded to its requests for comment.
Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) reacted to the reporting by saying the episode suggests Russian President Vladimir Putin exerts outsized influence over the Trump administration. The matter remains under federal investigation, and allegations tied to the probe have not been proven in court.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 22: Lauren Chen is seen on set of "Candace" on March 22, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. The episode will air later today. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images)(Jason Davis / Getty Images)
Other Notable Stories
A former writer for the television show 'South Park' purchased the domain TrumpKennedyCenter.org months before the president agreed to put his name on the Kennedy Center. The domain is now being used to satirize the decision. (Read more at Vanity Fair.)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill requiring social platforms to display warning labels that inform young users when they are being exposed to potentially "addictive" features such as autoplay or infinite scrolling. Supporters say the law is aimed at protecting youth mental health; critics raise enforcement and free-speech questions. (Read more at TechCrunch.)
On CNN, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) renewed his call for a moratorium on new data-center construction — facilities that power Big Tech and AI — citing environmental concerns and local resource strain. Sanders also warned about the societal impact of advanced artificial intelligence, calling it "the most consequential technology in the history of humanity" and urging a slower, more measured approach to development.
Read more: The Bulwark, Vanity Fair, TechCrunch, and coverage of Sanders’ remarks on CNN. The post originally appeared on MS NOW.
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