US Intelligence Confirms Iran Behind Hack of Donald Trump's Campaign

 

On Monday, US intelligence agencies confirmed that Iran was responsible for a recent cyber attack targeting former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. The joint statement from the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) revealed that Iran’s actions were aimed at compromising both major political campaigns in the US.

According to the statement, Iranian operatives used social engineering and other techniques to gain access to individuals with direct connections to the campaigns. The stolen data included internal campaign records and sensitive information, intended to influence the US election process.

The revelation follows reports from several major news outlets, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Politico, which detailed the breach and the nature of the stolen documents. The leaked information reportedly included a dossier on Ohio Senator JD Vance, who is Trump’s running mate.

In response to the breach, Trump had initially blamed the Iranian government and claimed that only publicly available information was compromised. His campaign was informed of the hack by Microsoft, which had alerted them to the breach.

Last week, Kamala Harris’s campaign also reported that it had been targeted by foreign hackers. However, the campaign's cybersecurity measures successfully thwarted the attempt. The broader context of these attacks reflects a growing concern over foreign interference in the US election, with Iran perceived as particularly motivated to influence the outcome due to its perceived impact on national security.

The FBI has assured that it will continue to investigate the incident, focusing on identifying and disrupting the perpetrators behind the hacking efforts. The statement emphasized the commitment to preventing foreign interference in US elections and protecting American political campaigns from such threats.

This incident echoes the 2016 election interference scandal when Russian intelligence officers were indicted for hacking Hillary Clinton’s campaign and leaking internal emails, which became a major controversy during the presidential race. The confirmation of Iranian involvement highlights ongoing international attempts to impact the US electoral process through cyber operations and influence campaigns.