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By Smartencyclopedia & Agencies *

WASHINGTON — American intelligence officials have issued a stark warning that Russia is intensifying efforts to influence the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election, with a clear preference for boosting the candidacy of former President Donald Trump while disparaging incumbent President Joe Biden.

In a new assessment shared on Tuesday, U.S. intelligence sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that Moscow’s strategy mirrors previous election cycles, leveraging a range of measures aimed at undermining Biden and promoting candidates viewed as favorable to Russian interests.

According to the officials, Russia’s preference for Trump has been bolstered by recent U.S. policies, particularly those concerning Ukraine and broader U.S.-Russia relations. These policies have solidified Moscow’s view that Trump would be more accommodating to Russian interests compared to Biden.

The report comes nearly four years after similar warnings were issued ahead of the 2020 elections, where Russian efforts were aimed at denigrating Biden and bolstering Trump’s candidacy. These efforts, as outlined in a declassified post-election assessment from March 2021, underscored Kremlin-backed influence operations targeting social media and Russian state media outlets.

The Trump campaign swiftly dismissed the latest intelligence assessment as misguided, with national press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserting that Putin endorsed Biden due to perceptions of his weakness compared to Trump’s supposed strength in deterring adversarial actions.

Meanwhile, the Biden campaign has yet to publicly respond to inquiries about the intelligence findings.

Russian influence operations, described by U.S. officials as a “whole of government” approach, include sophisticated tactics such as outsourcing efforts to commercial firms and laundering narratives through influential American voices to lend an air of authenticity.

Recent actions by the U.S. Department of Justice underscore the seriousness of these threats. The seizure of internet domains and social media accounts linked to Russian intelligence and state-run media involved the use of artificial intelligence to create authentic-looking accounts mimicking U.S. individuals. This AI-driven venture was described as an effort to manipulate public opinion in favor of Russian objectives.

Furthermore, a joint advisory issued by the U.S., Canada, and the Netherlands warned that Russia is expanding these AI-fueled operations to other platforms, highlighting the growing threat posed by technological advancements in disinformation campaigns.

Despite these developments, U.S. intelligence officials noted there are currently limited indications of Chinese interference in the upcoming election, attributing this to Beijing’s perception that both U.S. parties seek to contain China’s influence. However, officials cautioned that this stance could change, particularly with down-ballot races and social media monitoring.

The threat assessment also flagged Iran as a potential “chaos agent” seeking to exploit U.S. political divisions and social tensions. Iranian actors have allegedly been observed posing as activists online, attempting to manipulate public sentiment and support protests across the U.S.

In response to the accusations, Chinese and Iranian officials have denied any interference in U.S. elections, labeling such claims as part of broader disinformation efforts by the U.S.

As the election cycle progresses, U.S. intelligence agencies remain vigilant, emphasizing the need for heightened awareness and resilience against foreign influence operations targeting American democracy.

Source: VOA

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