US names Russia, Iran, China as biggest threats to presidential election

Russia, Iran, and China pose the most significant threats to critical infrastructure and democratic institutions in the United States, particularly the upcoming presidential election, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a report published Oct. 2.

The report comes a month after the U.S. announced a sweeping crackdown on Russian propaganda outlets due to alleged election interference.

Hostile foreign actors may use an array of tactics to undermine electoral operations, including using generative AI to create authentic-seeming text and video to spread disinformation, the DHS report said.

"Russia seeks to shape electoral outcomes, undermine electoral integrity, and amplify domestic divisions, while using a variety of approaches to bolster its messaging and lend an air of authenticity to its efforts," the report said.

"Iran, meanwhile, perceives this year's elections as particularly consequential for its own national security interests."

DHS warned that Russia, Iran, and China have "increasingly used generative AI to create more believable text, inauthentic synthetic audio, and video that may enhance their ability to reach U.S. audiences while hiding their origins."

The U.S. is one month away from the presidential election, which sees former President Donald Trump facing Vice President Kamala Harris. The campaign has been fraught with turmoil, including assassination attempts, the withdrawal of President Joe Biden, and allegations of foreign interference.

Iranian operatives have been indicted for allegedly hacking emails connected to Trump's campaign. The DHS report said that U.S. intelligence "is confident" that Iran has attempted to access individuals tied to both parties' campaigns.  

The U.S. on Sept. 4 also sanctioned high-profile propagandists including RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan and seized 32 internet domains linked to Kremlin propaganda campaigns, alleging that the outlets attempted to interfere in the upcoming election.

Russia has previously been accused of using social media disinformation, bot farms, and other means to back Donald Trump against his Democratic opponents – Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden – during the 2016and 2020 elections.

Iran and China have remained Russia's key military and economic allies since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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