U.S. intelligence leaders have raised alarms about escalating foreign interference in the upcoming elections, with a particular focus on Russia’s activities.
In a joint statement, officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) expressed growing concern over foreign attempts to manipulate the election process, which were highlighted on Friday.
The agencies noted that foreign adversaries, especially Russia, have been engaging in operations to undermine public confidence in the U.S. electoral system and to deepen divisions among Americans.
These influence efforts are expected to intensify as Election Day approaches, with a specific emphasis on the key swing states of Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Voters will be deciding between former President Donald Trump, a Republican, and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
“Russia remains the most active threat,” the agencies stated, cautioning that these activities could escalate to violence, particularly targeting election officials.
The intelligence officials further warned that Russian-backed operatives would likely continue to distribute fabricated content, including false reports about U.S. officials engaging in election manipulation through cyberattacks and ballot stuffing.
Additionally, the agencies pointed out that bad actors had promoted a misleading video that falsely portrayed an interview alleging election fraud in Arizona to benefit Vice President Kamala Harris.