US Intelligence Believes Russia, China, Iran Meddling in Presidential Election
The US intelligence community has assessed that China wants President Donald Trump to lose in the upcoming presidential election in November while Russia is allegedly working to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina said in a statement
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th August, 2020) The US intelligence community has assessed that China wants President Donald Trump to lose in the upcoming presidential election in November while Russia is allegedly working to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina said in a statement.
"We assess that Russia is using a range of measures to primarily denigrate former Vice President Biden and what it sees as an anti-Russia 'establishment,'" Evanina said in the statement published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Evanina made the allegations without providing evidence that Kremlin-linked actors are seeking to support Trump's candidacy on social media and on Russian television.
Russia has repeatedly denied accusations of interfering in the US political system, saying such acts run contrary to the principles of the country's foreign policy.
In July, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Christopher Krebs said the United States is not seeing the same level of hacking from foreign adversaries in this year's election compared to four years ago. Krebs said the US security agencies have better visibility across networks than they did four years ago as well.
Evanina said Beijing has expanded its influence efforts ahead of the November election to shape US policy towards China, such as pressuring political figures viewed as opposed to China's interests and countering criticism of that country.
"We assess that China prefers that President Trump - whom Beijing sees as unpredictable - does not win reelection," Evanina said. "China has been expanding its influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States, pressure political figures it views as opposed to China's interests, and deflect and counter criticism of China."
Evanina noted that China has increasingly criticized the Trump administration's handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak in the United States, its closure of China's consulate in Houston, as well as the administration's actions with respect to Hong Kong, TikTok, Huawei and the South China Sea.
US-China relations have significantly deteriorated in the past several years with Washington accusing Beijing of unfair trade practices, a poor response to the coronavirus outbreak, human rights violations and unwarranted territorial disputes with neighboring countries. China has denied accusations and criticized the United States for various violations of international law.
On Iran, Evanina said Tehran is expected to focus its influence operations online by spreading disinformation on social media and recirculating anti-US content in order to undermine US democratic institutions and Trump, in addition to trying to sow division in the United States ahead of the election.
Iran's activities are motivated by the perspective that if Trump remains in office, his administration will continue to put pressure on Tehran to facilitate a change in government,� said.e
Evanina noted that despite the foreign governments' efforts to interfere in the US election, it would be impossible to manipulate voting results at scale.
US LAWMAKERS RESPOND TO THE INTELLIGENCE
US Senator Chris Murphy said Russia is the only country that is capable of significantly disrupting the 2020 US presidential election.
"There is one nation that has both the capability and intention to significantly disrupt the 2020 American election," Murphy said via Twitter. "It's not Iran. It's not North Korea. It's not China. It's Russia."
Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell called on Senator Marco Rubio to provide lawmakers with evidence that Russia is allegedly interfering in the US election to help Trump.
Rubio and Senator Mark Warner, respective leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said more information about foreign meddling will be released to the public leading up to November presidential election.