The article presents a disturbing phenomenon of the spread of anti-Russian phobia within the political publications of American mass media used as a tool to control public attitudes in order to gain the acceptance of the public for the new aggressive foreign strategy pushed to the US administration by pressure groups related to the special interests of influential military, economic and political circles. This strategy, based on ideological premises and falsely understood historical policy, uses propaganda mechanisms to block rational public debate based on realistic political calculations and assessments. It met with critical assessment by international relations experts coming from both sides of the political spectrum and from Russian studies academic communities in the USA. The text presents contradictory to the above strategy opinions of the center-left journalist and the nestor of the American sovietology, professor Stephen F. Cohen as well as the leading conservative political commentator and former presidential candidate, Patrick Buchanan. The reaction of experts from leading scientific institutions dealing with Russian issues and some independent critics of social life is also presented. The significance of the problem is evidenced by organizing by the most recognized US center for Russian studies – the Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, of a special scientific conference dedicated to Russophobia.