WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia and Iran may try to encourage violent protests in the United States after next month’s election, a senior intelligence official warned in a declassified memo Tuesday. He cited two recent examples of foreign intelligence efforts to sow discord before the vote.
A memo released Tuesday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said both countries could support violent protests by secretly organizing events themselves or encouraging participation in events planned by domestic groups. said. Officials say the goal is to deepen division, cast doubt on the election results and complicate the transfer of presidential power.
Russian military intelligence attempted to recruit Americans to organize protests in the United States in January, according to a declassified national intelligence memo released Tuesday. The memo said the American was "probably ignorant” and did not know he was in contact with Russian agents.
The United States initially accused the Iranian government of secretly supporting protests against American support for Israel during the Gaza war. Iranian officials have offered to pay for travel to protests in Washington this year, according to the memo.
Officials say the possibility that either of the U.S. adversaries will foment political violence after the election comes as officials from both countries better understand the complex process the U.S. uses to certify votes. He said the risks have increased this year. The attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021 also highlights how false and misleading claims about election results can easily lead to deadly real-world actions. I made it.
The period between Election Day and the inauguration of a new president is a special period, as foreign adversaries and domestic extremists may seek to disrupt the certification of the election by exploiting misleading claims or innocent fraud. risks arise. Safety concerns have already led election officials in some areas to install bulletproof glass and panic buttons, citing the risk of election-related incidents.
Fears of political violence are rising amid concerns about growing polarization and growing mistrust, and America’s adversaries are using online disinformation and propaganda to accelerate this trend. . Officials say that in addition to influencing the outcome of the election, Russia, Iran, and China spread false and misleading claims about important issues such as elections, voting, immigration, the economy, and the federal government’s response. By doing so, they say they aim to undermine the unity of the United States. to the recent hurricane.
For Russia, which aims to strip support from Ukraine, it means supporting former President Donald Trump, who has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance. Meanwhile, Iran is trying to harm the Trump campaign through disinformation and hacking of campaign emails.
The Trump administration abandoned the nuclear deal with Iran, reimposed sanctions and ordered the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, an act that prompted Iranian leaders to vow revenge.
No matter who wins the White House, Russia will likely try to incite protests in the United States, an Office of the Director of National Intelligence official briefed reporters on Tuesday, saying Russia is likely to try to incite protests in the United States, according to rules set by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The statement was made on condition of anonymity. director. But officials said they expected Russia’s response to be more aggressive if Ms. Harris defeated Mr. Trump.
What you need to know about the 2024 election
China is also spreading disinformation that appears to be aimed at misleading and confusing Americans, but intelligence officials say there is no indication Beijing is trying to encourage violent protests. states. Although China has sought to interfere in down-ballot races in Congress and state and local offices, U.S. intelligence officials and civilian analysts agree that China has not expressed any meaningful favoritism in the presidential election.
Groups seeking to interfere in elections may also use threats of violence at polling places to prevent specific groups of voters from voting, officials have warned. A similar incident occurred in 2020, when Iranian hackers allegedly posed as members of the far-right Proud Boys group and sent threatening emails to Democratic voters as a voter suppression tactic.
Voting advocacy and civil rights groups are addressing concerns of election violence with public outreach efforts aimed at increasing resistance to disinformation and reminding Americans that they agree with more than the current political climate suggests. We have responded to this.
“In 2024, voters must know that the outcome of elections will not be decided by political parties, extremist groups or purveyors of disinformation,” said President and CEO of the Leadership Council for Civil and Human Rights. CEO Maya Wiley said. A unique effort to combat election misinformation and the political violence it can cause. “Democracy requires passionate persistence.”
Russia, China, and Iran all reject claims that they are trying to interfere in the U.S. election. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Iran’s mission to the United Nations pointed to past statements denying any intention of US interference in politics. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington told The Associated Press that U.S. officials’ claims about Chinese disinformation are “full of malicious speculation against China.”
A message left at the Russian embassy was not immediately returned Tuesday.
