U.S. intelligence officials have released an assessment stating that Russia and Iran may attempt to incite violence and disruptive protests in the U.S. after the election. The intelligence community is increasingly confident that Russian actors are considering influence efforts aimed at calling into question the validity of democracy, regardless of who wins. Iran is also believed to be capable of inciting violence through online influence operations. The U.S. has previously accused Iran of creating websites and social media campaigns to influence Americans.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has warned that Russia, Iran, and China are conducting propaganda operations against Americans with the goal of denigrating the democratic process. Russia is said to support former President Donald Trump, while Iran supports Vice President Kamala Harris. The intelligence community believes that these countries are better prepared to exert influence after the election, with a focus on creating discord and undermining trust in the U.S. democratic process.
The U.S. is particularly concerned about Russia potentially encouraging violence in U.S. protests after the election, especially if Harris wins. Russian actors have been accused of creating and amplifying false claims against political figures. The intelligence official also mentioned that Russia would prefer Trump to win and would seek to undermine the presidency of the then-president-elect if Harris were to win. The U.S. intelligence community is vigilant about monitoring and countering foreign influence efforts during this critical period.
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