Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections: A Growing Concern

The U.S. intelligence community has identified Russia, China, and Iran as the most active foreign adversaries attempting to influence the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Senior officials note that while Russia targets the presidential race, China focuses on down-ballot races. Increased private warnings are being issued to counter these threats.

Russia has emerged as the primary foreign adversary seeking to influence the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, with China concentrating its efforts on down-ballot races, according to a senior U.S. intelligence official.

The official highlighted that Iran is more active in this election cycle than in the past, ramping up its efforts to affect voter decisions in both the presidential and congressional races. To counter these activities, the U.S. intelligence community is ramping up the use of private warnings to those targeted by foreign influence operations.

This update follows U.S. money-laundering charges against two employees of the Russian state media network RT. Officials accuse them of hiring an American company to create online media aimed at influencing the 2024 presidential election, spending $10 million via shell companies and fake personas to intensify political divisions in the United States.

In May, U.S. officials informed a Senate committee that a rising number of foreign and non-state actors are attempting to interfere in U.S. elections, with Russia, China, and Iran being the most prominent players but not the only ones involved.

(With inputs from agencies.)