It could happen again: One year before the presidential election in the US, leading security agencies in the country warn against foreign interference. "Our enemies want to undermine our democratic institutions, influence public sentiment and influence government policies," the leaders of the seven major US security agencies said in a joint statement.
Russia, China, Iran and "other malicious foreign actors" are trying to interfere in the referendum process or influence voters' opinions, it says. In particular, security agencies highlighted the danger posed by social media disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks.
So far, however, there is no evidence of interference attempts, said the head of the authorities, including from the Ministry of Defense and the Federal Police FBI. The US government is working with states, local authorities, and private partners to identify potential threats, share information, and "protect the democratic process."
According to the US authorities, Russia had tried in 2016, among other things by the massive proliferation of false information influence on the presidential election in favor of the election winner Donald Trump. US Special Enquirer Robert Mueller confirmed this in his final report, which he presented in March.