U.S. intelligence officials have ‘not observed any foreign actor seeking to interfere in the conduct of the 2024 elections,’ according to a report.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said it has observed some countries attempting to meddle in the 2024 U.S. elections in November, but it hasn’t found evidence of any interference that would jeopardize the integrity of the election process.
“To date, the [Intelligence Community] has not observed any foreign actor seeking to interfere in the conduct of the 2024 elections,” the ODNI said in a report titled “60 Days to Go Until Election 2024,” which was released on Sept. 6.
To ensure the integrity of the election, however, the government agency will “[continue] to monitor foreign actors’ influence efforts, seeking to uncover any activities that could enable election interference, especially cyber or physical disruptions of election infrastructure,” the report states.
The ODNI has found efforts by foreign adversaries to influence U.S. election outcomes in other ways, according to the report.
“Instead of interference, the [Intelligence Community] assesses adversaries so far are focused on using information operations and propaganda to try to shape voter preferences or undermine confidence in the election,” the report states.
“Foreign actors are increasing their election influence activities as we approach November. In particular, Russia, Iran, and China are trying by some measure to exacerbate divisions in U.S. society for their own benefit, and see election periods as moments of vulnerability.”
Russia currently presents “the most active foreign influence threat” to the 2024 contest, according to U.S. intelligence officials.
The report points to the Department of Justice’s indictment against two employees of RT, also known as Russia Today, a Moscow-backed media organization. They are accused of siphoning about $10 million to fund and direct a U.S. media company to promote content that favors Russia’s interests, according to the department.
The Justice Department also has claimed that the media company used the money to hire influencers including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, among others. The department also has seized 32 internet domains allegedly used by the Russian government.
“Both of the schemes I have just discussed make clear the ends to which the Russian government—including at its highest levels—is willing to go to undermine our democratic process” Attorney General Merrick Garland said at an event last week. He also said that the recent court filings indicate that Russia is promoting “state-sponsored narratives as part of a program to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election.”
In social media statements last week, Pool wrote, “Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims.”
However, he said, “Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show and the contents of the show are often apolitical.”
Johnson similarly wrote on social media platform X that he was “disturbed by the allegations” in the indictment, adding that he “and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme.”
Rubin wrote on X: “These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period.”
Aside from Russia, China and Iran are also attempting to “exacerbate divisions in U.S. society for their own benefit, and see election periods as moments of vulnerability,” the ODNI report states.
“These actors most likely judge that amplifying controversial issues and divisive rhetoric can serve their interests by making the United States and its democratic system appear weak and by keeping the U.S. Government distracted with internal issues instead of pushing back on their hostile behavior in other parts of the world,” the report states, without providing specific details or elaborating.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is more focused on impacting down-ballot races and isn’t going after the presidential election so far, according to the report.
The regime also is seeking to build on longstanding efforts to make inroads with various U.S. officials at the local and state level “because it perceives Washington as largely opposed to China,” the report states.
Ahead of the election, U.S. intelligence officials have seen CCP attempts to “influence U.S. down-ballot races by focusing on candidates it views as particularly threatening to core” interests, while the CCP’s “online influence actors have also continued small-scale efforts on social media to engage U.S. audiences on divisive political issues.”
Those issues include Israel’s war with the Hamas terrorist group and the promotion of “negative stories about both political parties,” the report states.
The U.S. general election will be held on Nov. 5, less than two months away. Early voting is scheduled to start in some states this week.