The Intelligence Community (IC) debunked claims on Tuesday that were reported last month in The Washington Post and The New York Times which stated that Russia was aiming to help President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in the upcoming 2020 elections.
A top administration official told The Daily Wire that the conclusions reached by the IC, which is comprised of 17 federal organizations, are the exact same conclusions that lawmakers were presented with last month.
“Russian social media and state media messaging has taken aim at some of the candidates from both parties, in part to signal Russia’s unhappiness with policy statements or choices,” the IC said in a fact sheet that was provided to lawmakers and journalists. “The IC has not concluded that the Kremlin is directly aiding any candidate’s reelection or any other candidates’ election. Nor have we concluded that the Russians will definitely choose to try to do so in 2020.”
The IC left hundreds of copies of the fact sheet for lawmakers and journalists to have so that false information would not be anonymously pumped into the media for political reasons.
On February 20, The New York Times reported that Russia was interfering in the election to “get President Trump re-elected,” a claim that is false.
The next day, The Washington Post reported that U.S. officials had told Sanders that “Russia is attempting to help his presidential campaign as part of an effort to interfere with the Democratic contest,” a claim that is false.
The Washington Post also falsely reported on Tuesday that Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Richard Grenell was skipping the briefing because he was not prepared and did not want to upset Trump with “sensitive subjects.”
Election security is being led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) so there was no need for Grenell to be there.
The IC supports DHS, FBI, and other federal, state, and local partners to secure elections from interference. The Office of the DNI serves as a coordinating authority for the IC and acts as a facilitator of information between foreign collection activities and domestic actions to secure the elections. ODNI makes sure that all threat information is properly and consistently communicated across the board.
Again, as noted by the IC, there is no indication that Russia is trying to boost any particular candidate and that their general goal is to sow discord between Americans and to damage voter’s confidence in America’s democratic elections.
ODNI put out a statement debunking the report, writing, “Several media outlets are erroneously reporting that Acting DNI Grenell backed out of participating in today’s Congressional briefings on election security. ODNI did not communicate to Congress at any point that Acting DNI Grenell would participate in election security briefings.”
Several media outlets are erroneously reporting that Acting DNI Grenell backed out of participating in today’s Congressional briefings on election security. ODNI did not communicate to Congress at any point that Acting DNI Grenell would participate in election security briefings.
— Office of the DNI (@ODNIgov) March 10, 2020
“FBI and DHS are the lead in charge of securing our elections, and the IC is participating in today’s briefings in support of that mission. The IC is focused on detecting and countering foreign election-related threats. ODNI will be represented by NCSC Director Bill Evanina,” the statement continued. “As part of its counterintelligence mission, NCSC has contributed to the federal government’s election security efforts for years and works closely with the Election Threats Executive, FBI, DHS, and other partners.”
As part of its counterintelligence mission, NCSC has contributed to the federal government’s election security efforts for years and works closely with the Election Threats Executive, FBI, DHS, and other partners.
— Office of the DNI (@ODNIgov) March 10, 2020
The fact sheet also highlighted that other nations are looking to meddle in U.S. elections:
- This is not a Russia-only problem. China, Iran, other countries like North Korea and Cuba, and non-state actors all have the opportunity, means, and potential motive to interfere in the 2020 elections as a way to achieve their goals. Some are trying to influence the public debate largely on social media in order to stoke discord in the United States, with the hope of swaying U.S. voters’ preferences and perspectives, shift U.S. policies, and undermine the American people’s confidence in our democratic process.
- Beijing continues to promote policies that are in line with China’s interests.
- China may consider more aggressive or expansive activity if bilateral relations significantly worsen.
- We must not underestimate Iran, which maintains a robust cyber program, and is intent on countering the U.S. maximum pressure campaign.
- In addition, non-state actors, such as criminals or terrorist groups, have access to tools like ransomware that in principle could be used to attack election operations.