US intelligence officials have confirmed that Iran is actively targeting the political campaigns of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in an attempt to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. The assessment raised concerns about Iran's increasing aggression and the potential for foreign interference in the upcoming electoral process.
The intelligence community has released a report revealing that Iran is actively engaged in influence operations and cyberattacks targeting the American public and presidential campaigns ahead of the 2024 election. The report raises serious concerns about foreign interference in the electoral process and the potential risks to national security.
Intelligence Community Warns of Escalating Iranian Interference in 2024 Presidential Election
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner expressed grave concern about Iran's activities and urged President Biden to take immediate and forceful action. According to Turner, the Biden-Harris administration's response has been "dangerously insufficient" despite the severity of the threats posed by Iran.
The intelligence community stated that Iran seeks to stoke discord and undermine confidence in US democratic institutions. They have observed Iranian activity targeting both Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns, including cyber operations and influence operations.
Intelligence Community Warns of Escalating Iranian Interference in 2024 Presidential Election
The FBI is currently investigating Iranian cyber hacking attempts against former President Trump's presidential campaign, confirming reports that internal campaign documents were compromised. The Trump campaign condemned the actions as an attempt to interfere in the election and sow chaos.
Intelligence officials believe that Iran has sought access to individuals with direct access to both Trump's and Harris' campaigns through social engineering and other efforts. The intention of these activities is to influence the election process and potentially disrupt the campaigns.
Intelligence Community Warns of Escalating Iranian Interference in 2024 Presidential Election
The intelligence community emphasized that protecting the integrity of elections from foreign influence and interference is a priority. The FBI is closely monitoring the threat and has been in contact with victims of cyberattacks. They are committed to investigating and disrupting the threat actors responsible.
The agencies stressed that they are working with public and private sector partners to share information, bolster security, and identify and disrupt any threats. They will not tolerate foreign efforts to influence or interfere with US elections, including the targeting of American political campaigns.
The 2024 presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris stated that they vigilantly monitor and protect against cyber threats and are not aware of any security breaches of their systems.
Iran has a history of running hacking campaigns targeting enemies in the Middle East and beyond. Tehran has also threatened retaliation against Trump for the 2020 drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani.
Microsoft has reported that foreign malign influence concerning the 2024 US election has increased steadily over the last six months, primarily due to Iranian activity. Iranian cyber-enabled influence operations have been a consistent feature of the last three US election cycles, focusing on election conduct rather than swaying voters.
Intelligence officials concluded that Iran, along with Russia, may be equally engaged in election 2024. The report highlights the urgent need for the US government and its partners to address the growing threat of foreign interference in the electoral process.
