Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said that Russia and Iran have taken “specific actions” to influence public opinion related to the upcoming election yesterday. Ratcliffe noted that both nations have obtained voter registration information for some voters, and that Iran has distributed “spoofed” emails and other content (including videos containing misinformation). Both Ratcliffe and FBI Director Chris Wray noted that US election infrastructure remains resilient.
Extra: The announcement follows a statement from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center in July, which noted that interfering directly with vote tallies would be “extraordinarily difficult,” but warned that China, Iran, and Russia are actively using social and traditional media to sway US voter opinions.
