U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia is behind a fake video spreading false sexual abuse allegations against Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz as part of an election interference effort favoring Donald Trump. This campaign is expected to continue even after the election on Nov. 5. The information was fabricated and promoted online by Kremlin operatives. Russia is identified as the most aggressive foreign government trying to interfere in the election, while Iran is also active in boosting Vice President Kamala Harris and undermining Trump.
A declassified memo from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) revealed the efforts of Russia, Iran, and potentially China to influence the election and undermine confidence in the U.S. democratic system, even after the polls close. These foreign actors may engage in influence operations aimed at inciting violence and spreading false information to exacerbate post-election tensions in the United States.
The briefing paper from ODNI highlighted the potential for Russian actors to engage in a broad range of influence efforts, including inciting violence and spreading false information to undermine the legitimacy of democracy. Iran, on the other hand, may attempt to incite violence as it did after the last presidential election by creating websites containing death threats against U.S. election officials. The goal of these efforts is to weaken the legitimacy of the U.S. democratic system and disrupt American policies that are against their interests.
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