US Intelligence: Foreign Actors Seeking to Influence 2024 Elections
The US intelligence community warned on Monday that multiple foreign hostile actors are looking for ways to exploit America's election infrastructure and influence the political process to their own advantage....
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Facts
- The US intelligence community warned on Monday that multiple foreign hostile actors are looking for ways to exploit America's election infrastructure and influence the political process to their own advantage.[1]
- Speaking on condition of anonymity, intelligence officials claimed that China, Russia, and Iran were forced to revise their propaganda strategy as Pres. Joe Biden quit the race and former Pres. Donald Trump survived an attempted assassination.[2]
- These actors are said to be particularly concerned with retooling their efforts to target the presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, with the attempt on Trump's life already factored into their narratives.[3]
- In their briefing to the media, officials said that Russia was likely to spread content supporting Trump, while Iran would seek to undermine his campaign. China lacks a clear preference for president, but may interfere in congressional races.[4]
- According to the latest Election Security Update, Russia remains the main threat to US elections as the Kremlin leverages its influence by hiring influence-for-hire firms to produce propaganda and shape public opinion in the US.[5]
- Bejing, Moscow, and Tehran have all denied such allegations, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling them 'absurd' and Iran's Mission to the UN arguing that most were part of psychological operations to boost election campaigns.[6]
Sources: [1]The Washington Times, [2]Associated Press, [3]Reuters, [4]Independent, [5]RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty and [6]Bloomberg.
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by NBC. America is fighting an information war on many fronts, and it is incumbent on everyone to remain aware of the constant threat foreign actors pose to its national security. Foes such as China, Russia, and Iran benefit from spreading false, misleading, and inflammatory content that undermines faith in democracy. Tech companies and the national security establishment need to be proactive on this front.
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Global Times. The US is perfectly capable of holding an election marked by division and instability without the aid of outside actors. These baseless smears serve only to distract the American public from the homegrown chaos of their political process. Proclamations like these needlessly heighten global tensions, as the US beats the war drum and gets the people to join along. These are wildly sensationalist and false allegations.
