The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in the United States has stated that China, Russia, and Iran are all recruiting Americans in an effort to spread false information and propaganda aimed at undermining democracy, causing division in the United States, and manipulating public opinion before the presidential election.
In its latest election security report released on Monday, ODNI highlighted that some American citizens, knowingly or unknowingly, are assisting foreign governments in “spreading, amplifying, and increasing credibility to benefit foreign actors.” This report revealed that unwitting Americans are inadvertently aiding foreign actors.
Recent weeks in American politics have been marked by turmoil, prompting rapid adjustments in propaganda tactics by China, Russia, and Iran. Intelligence officials in the U.S. have emphasized their determination to disseminate false incitements about American democracy online in order to undermine confidence in the election process.
An ODNI official stated, “The American public should be aware that the content they read online, especially on social media, may be foreign propaganda, even if it appears to be from fellow Americans or originating within the U.S.”
Events such as the attempted assassination of Trump and Biden’s withdrawal from the race have become fodder for influence narratives aimed at disrupting the election process.
For example, following the attack on Trump, Russian disinformation outlets quickly amplified the Democratic Party’s rhetoric blaming the incident on a shooting, even spreading baseless conspiracy theories suggesting that Biden or the Ukrainian government orchestrated the failed attack.
The report highlighted Russia’s unique actions in the U.S. election, emphasizing efforts to create and disseminate narratives favorable to Russia through networks involving Americans and other Western individuals.
“These individuals post content on social media, contribute to websites with obvious or covert ties to the Russian government, and engage in other media activities,” the report stated.
Officials noted that the Kremlin has begun hiring marketing and PR firms within Russia to influence public opinion in the U.S., a way of outsourcing influence operations while concealing their tracks.
Earlier this year, the U.S. government sanctioned two Russian companies for establishing fake European government media organization websites. It remains unclear if these companies are among those described in the officials’ reports.
Russia’s ultimate goal is to have Americans themselves spread false information without questioning its source. Officials stated that people are more likely to believe and share information they perceive as domestic, mimicking false websites designed to resemble American news outlets and AI-generated social media posts.
Undermining support for Ukraine remains a primary objective of Russia’s disinformation campaigns.
While China launched a massive disinformation campaign ahead of the Taiwan election, their behavior towards the U.S. has been more cautious.
Regarding China, ODNI noted that Beijing authorities are collaborating with a Chinese tech company to enhance their covert online influence operations, producing content more efficiently and engaging with local audiences.
Officials refused to disclose the names of the involved Chinese companies but suggested that actors associated with Beijing may seek to smear candidates seen as threatening core Chinese interests.
One official mentioned that similar situations occurred with both parties’ candidates during the 2022 midterm elections.
Meanwhile, actors linked with China continue to exploit social media to exacerbate political divisions in the U.S., portraying democracy as chaotic.
As for Iran, American officials stated that after Trump’s cancellation of the international nuclear agreement with Tehran and imposing severe sanctions on the Islamic Republic, Iran seeks to influence the election as it did in 2020.
The report indicated that Iran is working to foster distrust in the American political system, increase social unrest, and actively escalate tensions in the Israeli-Gaza conflict.
Earlier this month, National Intelligence Director Avril Haines revealed that Iran was covertly supporting American protests against Israel. Groups connected to Iran disguised as online activists encouraged protests and provided financial support to some protest organizations.
Officials mentioned that Iran’s opposition could increase tension with candidates critical of Tehran. This aligns with Trump’s policies of terminating the nuclear accord with Iran, reinstating sanctions, and ordering the killing of a senior Iranian general.
Previously, Russia, Iran, and China have denied interfering in U.S. elections.
When asked if any individuals related to U.S. presidential campaigns or lawmakers assisted Russia in influencing actions knowingly, officials refused to comment.
However, officials responsible for tracking foreign disinformation stated that the number of warnings issued to candidates, government leaders, and election offices during the 2024 election cycle has doubled compared to the 2022 midterm elections.
Officials did not specify the number of warnings issued or who received them, but they emphasized that the significant increase in warnings reflects heightened interest from U.S. adversaries in the presidential election and the government’s effort to identify and warn about such threats.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner expressed concerns last month that the U.S. may be more susceptible to foreign false information this year compared to the lead-up to the 2020 election.
On Monday, he stated that intelligence officials’ warnings indicate that the U.S. election is “a target for global bad actors.”
(This article references relevant reports from AP News and Bloomberg.)