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Russia, China and Iran have so far denied meddling in the US election | Photo: Bloomberg
Jamie Tarabay and Chris Strom
U.S. intelligence officials said Monday that Russia, China and Iran are all recruiting Americans to spread propaganda to advance their interests ahead of the U.S. presidential election.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Monday in its latest election security report that some Americans are knowingly helping foreign governments “sow, promote, and give credence to narratives that serve the interests of foreign powers.” Some Americans have been deceived into helping foreign powers, the report said.
Intelligence officials who briefed reporters on Monday, largely on condition of anonymity, did not name any U.S. presidential candidates but said they believe Russia is trying to support Republican candidate Donald Trump while Iran is trying to undermine his candidacy.
In particular, the report said Russian operatives have worked to build a network of “prominent figures” in the United States and Western countries to create and spread a narrative favorable to Russia.
“These actors seek to influence the outcome of congressional elections, undermine public confidence in the electoral process, and exacerbate sociopolitical divisions, as well as assist a presidential candidate,” the intelligence agency said. U.S. intelligence agencies have found that Russia sought to assist Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Regarding Iran, U.S. officials said Iran was trying to influence the election, as it did in 2020, after President Trump tore up the international nuclear deal with Tehran and imposed tough sanctions on Iran.
Russia, China and Iran have previously denied meddling in the US election.
“Iran is not engaged in any objectives or activities intended to influence the US elections,” the head of Iran’s mission to the UN said in a written statement on Monday. “A significant part of these accusations can be characterized as psychological operations designed to artificially boost electoral campaigns.”
The assassination attempt on former President Trump and President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw his candidacy have provided fodder for influential rhetoric seeking to undermine the electoral process, officials said.
They declined to comment when asked whether U.S. presidential campaign officials or U.S. lawmakers knowingly assisted Russian influence operations.
Marketing and PR
U.S. intelligence agencies have also observed the Kremlin outsourcing its efforts to shape public opinion in the United States to marketing and public relations firms, an official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said.
U.S. officials say Moscow has used Russia-based influence contractors that have skills that complicate tracking sources and that are more agile and face fewer bureaucratic obstacles than government agencies. These companies have built influence platforms that discreetly engage with Americans and customize content while concealing Russian involvement.
It was unclear whether two Russian companies were among those mentioned by officials, who were sanctioned by the U.S. government earlier this year for creating fake websites that purported to be from European government-backed media organizations.
Similarly, the Chinese government is working with China-based technology companies to step up “covert influence operations, including more efficiently producing content that connects with local audiences,” the official said, without naming the companies involved.
While China is not trying to influence the outcome of the presidential election, U.S. officials said it is possible that Beijing-linked forces could try to undermine weaker candidates seen as threatening China’s core interests, something that happened several times in the 2022 midterm elections involving lawmakers from both parties, one of the officials said.
At the same time, influencers with ties to China continue to use social media to stomp division in the U.S. and portray democracy as in chaos, the officials said.
First Edition: July 30, 2024 | 08:11 AM IST
