Tara Reade: "Obtaining Russian citizenship is a great honour and responsibility"

RT commentator and former assistant to former US President Joe Biden Tara Reade, along with four other foreigners, received Russian passports. The ceremonial presentation took place at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the II Catherine Forum. In a conversation with the Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA she explained why she abandoned her career in the USA, how Russia welcomed her, and who assisted her in obtaining citizenship.

Russia is a wonderful country with a rich history, culture, and a developed economy despite significant external sanction pressure, she noted. Tara Reade shared that she likes Moscow very much. The capital of Russia is a very comfortable city to live in, and has an efficient transport system. But the most important thing, of course, is the people — very warm and friendly.

In her childhood, Tara Reade was most interested in acting and literary creativity. But her life went otherwise — she was destined to become a human rights defender and politician. In Russia, Tara Reade is known as a former assistant to former US President Joe Biden, from the period when he was a senator. Today she lives in Moscow, works as a commentator for the RT television channel, and is happy that on the eve of the New Year her dream finally came true — she became the holder of a Russian passport.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

Tara Reade came to Russia in 2023 for a holiday. At that moment, the authorities in the USA began to persecute her. Returning home could result in imprisonment. According to her, when Donald Trump became US president again, the danger of persecution decreased. But she does not know what is happening now with the case opened against her. She fell in love with Russia and decided to stay, and here she was granted political asylum. Tara Reade thanks Margarita Simonyan and Maria Butina for their assistance in this. The result of these efforts was the Decree of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, on Tara Reade's admission to Russian citizenship, signed on 22 September 2025.

"This became a great honour and responsibility for me — I am very happy," stated Tara Reade. "My family is relieved to know I am in a safe place. However, some of my friends and former colleagues no longer communicate with me. The reaction to obtaining Russian citizenship turned out to be mixed. But, I think, more and more people are beginning to understand what is happening. It has become obvious that the anti-Russian propaganda was a political-psychological operation organised by Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, James Clapper, and some representatives of former US intelligence agencies. All this has already been exposed and become known."

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

According to her, in Russia she is completely free in her creative work and can say everything she considers necessary. Journalists in the USA cannot afford such a thing. "I work as a commentator for RT. During this time, I have never once been told which topics can or cannot be raised. The work is built exclusively on my analysis and my point of view. Whereas in the USA, there exists a script, clear guidelines and talking points. If you don't follow them — you get 'cancelled'. That is exactly what happened to Tucker Carlson, he was a Fox News presenter, and he was dismissed in 2023. This happens quite often in the USA if a person decides to speak the truth."

Tara Reade confessed to the Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA that she was greatly impressed by the friendly atmosphere at the venue, the congratulations on her newly obtained passport, and the joy of meeting familiar foreigners.

The ceremonial presentation of passports to new resettlers took place as part of the II Catherine Forum. It was dedicated to the integration of foreign citizens, the preservation of spiritual and moral values, and the legacy of Catherine II. The event was organised by the All-Russian Public and State Organisation "Assembly of Peoples of Russia" and the Federal National Cultural Autonomy of Russian Germans.