Russia, China and Cuba meddling in key congressional races: officers

Russia, China and Cuba have all launched affect operations designed to assist or harm candidates in particular congressional races. With out giving specifics concerning the variety of affected races, an official from the Workplace of the Director of Nationwide Intelligence stated Monday that each one three international locations have zeroed in on races the place they consider they’ve a nationwide safety curiosity at stake.

The warning from intelligence officers comes throughout a very tight battle for the Home and Senate, the place management could possibly be determined by only a handful of races. Whereas a lot of the eye has targeted on makes an attempt by overseas adversaries to affect the presidential race, Monday’s warning underscores the menace that on-line disinformation additionally poses in state and native contests.

Leaders in Russia, China and Cuba perceive the American political system nicely sufficient to acknowledge that this 12 months’s shut elections create good circumstances for the use and unfold of disinformation, stated the official, who briefed reporters on situation of anonymity below guidelines set by the workplace of the director.

International adversaries have additionally focused some races even additional down the poll, together with statewide places of work and state legislative campaigns, the official stated.

Moscow’s objective is to erode assist for congressional candidates who favor helping Ukraine in its battle with Russia. Officers wouldn’t say which candidates had been focused, nevertheless it’s probably that the Kremlin’s effort is meant to harm Democrats and centrist Republicans who’ve supported Ukraine.

China has focused candidates from each events based mostly on their stance on problems with key significance to Beijing, together with assist for Taiwan. Officers stated they’ve noticed Chinese language disinformation companies specializing in candidates in “tens” of races.

Cuba’s authorities has mounted a narrower operation aimed toward boosting candidates it believes would favor higher relations with the island, equivalent to decreased financial sanctions.

Affect operations can embody false or exaggerated claims and propaganda designed to mislead voters about particular candidates, points or races. It will probably additionally embody social media posts or different digital content material that seeks to suppress the vote by means of intimidation or by giving voters false details about election procedures.

Together with cyberattacks on election methods, affect operations that stoke mistrust and divisiveness are a important menace dealing with the 2024 election, nationwide safety officers have stated.

State and native authorities have invested closely in securing the vote that final week, Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company, informed The Related Press there’s no approach a overseas adversary may alter the general outcomes.

Disinformation could be a tougher menace to quantify. International adversaries create networks of faux web sites and social media accounts mimicking People, after which work to amplify divisive and incendiary claims about contentious debates like immigration, the economic system or the federal authorities’s response to disasters.

Officers in Russia, China, Iran and Cuba have all rejected accusations that their governments are attempting to intrude with the U.S. election, regardless of indications that using disinformation designed to affect the end result of this 12 months’s elections is growing.

When overseas governments goal a selected candidate, workplace or group with election data they’re usually given what’s known as a defensive briefing by intelligence officers. Whereas ODNI gained’t say what number of defensive briefings they’ve delivered thus far this election cycle, they are saying the quantity is thrice larger than the earlier cycle.

Within the presidential race, intelligence officers have concluded that Russia helps Trump, who has criticized Ukraine and the NATO alliance whereas praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. They’ve assessed that China is taking a impartial stance within the race between the Republican former president and Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat.

Iran opposes Trump’s reelection, intelligence officers have stated, seeing him as extra more likely to improve pressure between Washington and Tehran. Trump’s administration ended a nuclear cope with Iran, reimposed sanctions and ordered the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, an act that prompted Iran’s leaders to vow revenge.

Final month federal authorities charged three Iranian males for his or her alleged involvement in Iran’s hacking of Trump’s marketing campaign. Iran later provided the fabric to Trump’s Democratic opponent, however nobody replied.

Officers stated Monday they’ve seen no indications that Iranian disinformation is concentrating on down poll races thus far in 2024.