U.S. counterspy chief warns Russia, China, Iran trying to meddle in 2020 election

[rooster59]

U.S. counterspy chief warns Russia, China, Iran trying to meddle in 2020 election

By Mark Hosenball

 

FILE PHOTO: Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center William Evanina speaks during the Reuters Cybersecurity Summit in Washington, U.S., October 31, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. counterintelligence official on Friday warned that Russia, China and Iran will all try to interfere in the 2020 presidential election, with Russia already trying to undercut presumptive Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

 

In an unusual public statement, William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said those countries were using online disinformation and other means to try to influence voters, stir up disorder and undermine American voters' confidence in the democratic process.

 

Foreign adversaries also may try to interfere with U.S. election systems by trying to sabotage the voting process, stealing election data, or calling into question the validity of election results.

 

"It would be difficult for our adversaries to interfere with or manipulate voting results at scale," Evanina insisted.

 

Multiple reviews by U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia acted to boost now-President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and undercut his rival Hillary Clinton's chances in that election. Trump has long bristled at that finding, which Russia denies.

 

Evanina warned on Friday that Russia is already going after former Vice President Biden and what it regards as an anti-Russia U.S. "establishment."

 

Evanina said Andriy Derkach, a pro-Russia Ukrainian politician, has been "spreading claims about corruption - including through publicized leaked phone calls" to undermine Biden's campaign and the Democratic Party. Trump supporters in the U.S. Senate have launched investigations questioning Biden's son Hunter's involvement in alleged business activities in Ukraine.

 

Evanina said "Kremlin-linked actors" also are trying to "boost President Trump's candidacy via social media and Russian television."

 

He said his agency assessed that China would prefer that Trump not win re-election, because Beijing regards him as too unpredictable.

 

He said China has been expanding efforts to influence U.S. politics ahead of the November election to try to shape U.S. policy, exert pressure on U.S. politicians it regards as anti-China, and deflect criticism of China.

 

Evanina said Iran is likely to use online tactics such as spreading disinformation to discredit U.S. institutions and President Trump and to stir up U.S. voters' discontent.

 

The leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Mark Warner, thanked Evanina for his warning in a statement and added that all Americans "should endeavor to prevent outside actors from being able to interfere in our elections, influence our politics, and undermine confidence in our democratic institutions."

 

Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for Trump's re-election campaign, insisted that Trump has been "tougher on Russia than any administration in history."

 

"We don’t need or want foreign interference, and President Trump will beat Joe Biden fair and square," Murtaugh added.

 

This will be an unusual year for U.S. voters. The coronavirus pandemic is expected to result in many more voters than usual casting ballots by mail, which could mean it will take longer to learn who won.

 

Trump has been attacking the idea of voting by mail, saying despite research to the contrary that it is likely to result in fraud. [nL1N2F60T9]

 

(Reporting By Mark Hosenball; Editing by Scott Malone and David Gregorio)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-08

 

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[bluesofa]

11 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

U.S. counterspy chief warns Russia, China, Iran trying to meddle in 2020 election

Can't the 'meddlers' just tell us the result now? That would save a lot of time and money.

[Tug]

Surprise surprise surprise lol and what potus has fought any bill presented to bolster our election security?oh yea that’s right the one who actively seeks foreign help rigging our elections you guessed it you get a nice big star oh well trumps got a nice long track record now so everyone knows what he’s about

[PatOngo]

And why would'nt they interfere to keep a stooge in the white house, the enemies must just love a clown who sprouts Twitter BS on a daily basis! While Trump divides the enemy will conquer!

[J Town]

Of course, the CIA has NEVER done anything like overthrow governments to set up their own stooge.

[heybruce]

So Russia is trying to undermine Biden's campaign and China is trying to undermine Trump's campaign.  That means anything on the internet not from a trusted, credible source should not be believed.

 

Here's a simple solution:  People should get their news and information from credible sources instead of social media, conspiracy theory websites, and 24 hour news pundits.

Edited August 8, 2020 by heybruce

[J Town]

21 minutes ago, heybruce said:

Here's a simple solution:  People should get their news and information from credible sources instead of social media, conspiracy theory websites, and 24 hour news pundits.

I've posted this response/question before but never got a satisfactory answer - what credible source(s) is/are there?

[Kelsall]

50 minutes ago, J Town said:

I've posted this response/question before but never got a satisfactory answer - what credible source(s) is/are there?

The one you're on right now, TV.

[J Town]

7 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

The one you're on right now, TV.

Like I said, never got a satisfactory answer. That IS funny though!

[pegman]

3 hours ago, J Town said:

Of course, the CIA has NEVER done anything like overthrow governments to set up their own stooge.

DON'T do as we do.

[pegman]

2 hours ago, heybruce said:

So Russia is trying to undermine Biden's campaign and China is trying to undermine Trump's campaign.  That means anything on the internet not from a trusted, credible source should not be believed.

 

Here's a simple solution:  People should get their news and information from credible sources instead of social media, conspiracy theory websites, and 24 hour news pundits.

One man's credible source is another man's fake news and vice versa 

[geriatrickid]

3 hours ago, J Town said:

Of course, the CIA has NEVER done anything like overthrow governments to set up their own stooge.

And?  is your view that the USA should not take steps to stop the interference?

 

[geriatrickid]

1 hour ago, J Town said:

I've posted this response/question before but never got a satisfactory answer - what credible source(s) is/are there?

Common sense.  One reads multiple sources that have had a history of accurate reporting, and who have a published code of ethics and ombudsman. Then one  uses an instrument that has been around for a few thousand years: A brain. I use my brain to do something that appears difficult for some: Thinks, reflects and consider.

[klauskunkel]

Let's agree that if Trump loses then there was meddling, if he wins then everything was terrific and great and bigly tremendous.

[heybruce]

4 hours ago, J Town said:

I've posted this response/question before but never got a satisfactory answer - what credible source(s) is/are there?

Use sources that have spent decades if not a century or more earning a reputation for factual reporting, and acknowledging and correcting mistakes when they are made.  I rely on the BBC news app, read The Economist every week, and read stories on topics of interest that come from Reuters, AP, UPI, Barron's, Washington Post, New York Times, etc.

 

I can't emphasize this enough:  Don't rely on 24 hour news channels, which are driven by ratings, and click-bait internet sites. 

[heybruce]

6 hours ago, J Town said:

Of course, the CIA has NEVER done anything like overthrow governments to set up their own stooge.

Both sides did that during the cold war.  Has the US done that since the cold war ended?

[Sujo]

So he knows what other countries are trying to do. What is going to do about it.

 

Probably just say they are wrong.

[earlinclaifornia]

5 hours ago, J Town said:

I've posted this response/question before but never got a satisfactory answer - what credible source(s) is/are there?

https://www.cbsnews.com/cbsn/

 I go here first each morning

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Can't the 'meddlers' just tell us the result now? That would save a lot of time and money.

 

Just agree to let Nancy P arrange and oversee the postal vote. She'll have the results within the hour!

[J Town]

3 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

And?  is your view that the USA should not take steps to stop the interference?

Not at all. Just don't cry about it when others do the same back at ya.

[J Town]

3 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

Common sense.  One reads multiple sources that have had a history of accurate reporting, and who have a published code of ethics and ombudsman. Then one  uses an instrument that has been around for a few thousand years: A brain. I use my brain to do something that appears difficult for some: Thinks, reflects and consider.

I raise the question to try and find a source that both 45 defenders and the rest of the sane world would accept. I could NEVER accept Fox News cuz of that brain thing, yet millions do. I'm just trying to find an acceptable happy medium that the majority agrees on as a source.

[Odysseus123]

Oh..so it's Russia,China and Iran?

 

Anyone else that they can think of....Burundi..Lichtenstein..the noble nation of Lilliput?

[TKDfella]

6 hours ago, J Town said:

I've posted this response/question before but never got a satisfactory answer - what credible source(s) is/are there?

How about expats on TV starting one?

[TKDfella]

It's a shame really. Instead saying/considering this and that about candidates (elections anywhere) if people just focused on a Party's policies and decided whether they preferred one to the others and voted that way there would less chance for corruption.

[J Town]

2 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

It's a shame really. Instead saying/considering this and that about candidates (elections anywhere) if people just focused on a Party's policies and decided whether they preferred one to the others and voted that way there would less chance for corruption.

EXACTLY! I remember when presidential elections focused on platforms rather than two greybacks flinging poo at each other.

[earlinclaifornia]

48 minutes ago, J Town said:

I raise the question to try and find a source that both 45 defenders and the rest of the sane world would accept. I could NEVER accept Fox News cuz of that brain thing, yet millions do. I'm just trying to find an acceptable happy medium that the majority agrees on as a source.

[rupert the bear]

the whole scenario is weird.usa has always interfered in others elections,even close allies,look at brexit,obama went to uk as a close friend and ally ,was treated very well and then threatened the electorate to vote stay by saying u go to the back of the queue in any deal,unreal and actually having the opposite effect to what he wanted as peoples reaction was f&%k you.could have been the difference in the vote as it was only about 4 or 5%.amazing.then we have all the other stuff with aid, money and invasions.just get on with it as its just waffle from both sides as per usual.i would be careful of china though as they will try to back the weaker that will allow their aggressive expansion to continue,see s china sea, taiwan, hk, uighers,northern india,hua wei etc etc etc

[Redline]

8 hours ago, J Town said:

Of course, the CIA has NEVER done anything like overthrow governments to set up their own stooge.

Except it’s much easier now with social media.  I’m sure they will catch up in the years to come.

In any case, this is the game, and the announcement is to the USA public.  Nobody ever said the USA didn’t do that.  

Edited August 8, 2020 by Redline

[J Town]

2 minutes ago, rupert the bear said:

I would be careful of china though as they will try to back the weaker that will allow their aggressive expansion to continue

I learned early on China has always played the long game. When I was about 16 years old, I saw they did the "two steps forward, one step back" approach in politics. The US is a relatively young country regarding their current government - by far less than 300 years old.

 

The US is a grand experiment. It is an attempt at a democracy framed in the form of a Republic. The American democracy is currently under attack. 45 is attempting to be a dictator de facto. If American citizens surrender and give this proven lunatic another term, then the experiment failed. If they throw this man, known to be an illiterate idiot, out of office, then there is hope. Always being a "glass half full" kind of man, I choose hope.

[J Town]

10 minutes ago, Redline said:

Nobody ever said the USA didn’t do that.  

It was meant as a rhetorical statement. We all know they do that.