US Intelligence Officials: Iran Behind Trump Campaign Hack
US intelligence officials have reported that Iran was responsible for a recent hack targeting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Iran sought to access individuals associated with both major political campaigns through social engineering and other techniques.
The intelligence community believes these efforts are part of a broader strategy to influence the US election process, including through the theft and disclosure of sensitive information. This revelation is part of ongoing efforts by US authorities to monitor and counteract foreign interference in elections.
Officials have highlighted that state actors such as Iran and Russia continue to engage in activities aimed at sowing discord, manipulating public discourse, and eroding trust in democratic institutions.
The announcement follows reports from news outlets receiving internal records from the Trump campaign, including a dossier on Ohio Senator JD Vance. Former President Trump has attributed the hack to the Iranian government, noting that Microsoft had informed the campaign about the breach and that only publicly available information was compromised.
Additionally, Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign disclosed that the FBI had warned them of a foreign hacking attempt, which they claim their cybersecurity measures successfully blocked.
Intelligence officials indicated that Iran’s hacking activities are part of a larger campaign to affect the 2024 US elections, given Tehran’s view of this election cycle as crucial to its national security interests. The intelligence community has observed a rise in aggressive Iranian actions, including influence operations and cyber attacks targeting presidential campaigns.
The FBI is actively investigating the hacking incident and is in contact with the affected parties. The US government has emphasized its commitment to preventing any foreign attempts to influence or interfere with American elections.
This issue of foreign interference is not unprecedented, recalling the 2016 hack of Hillary Clinton’s campaign, which resulted in the release of internal emails and significant controversy. Russian intelligence officers were later indicted for that incident.
