The Kremlin has targeted unsuspecting Americans and is using commercial PR firms in Russia to spread disinformation about the US presidential race.
High-ranking intelligence officials told the Associated Press about this.
The warning comes after a tumultuous few weeks in US politics that have forced Russia, Iran and China to rethink some of the details of their propaganda plans.
Russia continues to pose the biggest threat when it comes to election disinformation. Kremlin-linked groups are increasingly hiring marketing and communications firms based in Russia to outsource some of their digital propaganda work while covering their tracks. Officials announced this on condition of anonymity during a closed briefing with journalists.
Two such firms became the object of new US sanctions announced in March. They created fake websites and social media profiles to spread Kremlin disinformation.
Russian disinformation focuses on presidential candidates, voting and issues that are already debated in the US: immigration, crime or the war in Gaza. The ultimate goal is to force Americans to spread fakes without questioning their origins.
According to officials, people are much more likely to trust and repost information that they believe comes from a domestic source. For this, the Russian Federation uses fake websites imitating American mass media and profiles in social networks created with the help of artificial intelligence.
Russia and other countries have also been quick to exploit some of the recent developments in the presidential race, including the assassination of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Bidenʼs decision to drop out of the race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.
After the attack on Trump, for example, Russian disinformation agencies were quick to spread claims that Democratsʼ rhetoric led to the shooting, and even baseless conspiracy theories that Biden or the Ukrainian government orchestrated the attack.
The main goal of Russian disinformation remains to undermine support for Ukraine, and Trump has praised Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the past and is considered less sympathetic to NATO, AP notes.
Misinformation from other countries
While China launched a massive disinformation campaign ahead of the recent Taiwan election, the country is far more cautious when it comes to the United States. Beijing can use disinformation to influence, for example, congressional races in which candidates make harsh statements about China. But China is not expected to try to influence the presidential race, officials said.
Iran, however, took a more aggressive stance. US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haynes said earlier this month that the Iranian government secretly supports US protests against Israelʼs war against Hamas in Gaza. According to Haynes, Iran-linked groups posed as online activists, encouraged protests and provided financial support to some protest groups.
According to officials, Iran opposes candidates who could increase tensions with Tehran. That description fits Trump, whose administration has torn up the Iran nuclear deal, reimposed sanctions and ordered the assassination of a senior Iranian general.
Elections in the USA
This yearʼs presidential election in the USA will be held on November 5, 2024. This will be the 60th presidential election in the history of the country, at which the 47th president is to be elected. Donald Trump has already become the Republican candidate and presented his vice-presidential candidate, James David Vance, who, among other things, consistently opposes aid to Ukraine and declares that Kyiv will have to cede some territories for a ceasefire.
After an unsuccessful debate with Trump in June, 81-year-old Joe Biden was criticized. Leaders and donors of the US Democratic Party have pressured him to stop running for president, out of concern that he is too old and too jaded for the presidency.
On July 21, Biden officially announced that he was leaving the presidential race. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Harrisʼ candidacy still needs to be approved by the delegates of the Democratic Party at the convention, which will be held on August 19-22 in Chicago.