Russia is using a combination of covertly funded groups and its state-run RT media outlet to inflame U.S. domestic divisions and increase support for Donald Trump ahead of November’s election, an intelligence official said Friday.
“RT has built and used networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russia-friendly narratives while trying to mask the content in authentic Americans’ free speech,” said the official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity.
“These actors, among others, are supporting Moscow’s efforts to influence voter preferences in favor of the former president and diminish the prospects of the vice president,” the official said, referring to Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The remarks come after the U.S. on Wednesday accused Russia of running a multi-pronged disinformation campaign that targeted voters ahead of election day. As part of the operation, $10 million in funding was wired through shell companies backed by the RT news agency to fund Tenet Media, a right-wing outlet in Tennessee that has since ceased operations.
The Justice Department in its accusations said RT funneled the money to help “distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.”
Election security has been identified as a top cyber concern for 2024 by officials, researchers, and academics, as a record number of voters worldwide are casting their ballots in the era of social media and new AI tools aimed at consumers. The issue has taken center stage in recent weeks after the intelligence community confirmed that Iranian hackers breached Trump’s campaign and have attempted to target the Harris platform.
Election threat briefings have been offered up to both campaigns, said another ODNI official who declined to say whether Trump or Harris campaign staff accepted them. Spokespeople for both campaigns did not return Nextgov/FCW’s request for comment by publishing time.
Russia’s influence apparatus is very large and Kremlin spin doctors are puppeteering other active influence entities, said the first ODNI official.
The U.S. intelligence community in July assessed that Russia has not changed its political interests from previous elections, where its efforts largely benefitted the Donald Trump campaigns.
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