US intelligence agencies deliver warning over ‘real’ Russia threat
US spy chiefs deliver rare joint warning that Russia is actively seeking to weaken the US ahead of November midterms | WATCH
Donald Trump’s national security leaders have delivered their sharpest warning yet that Russia is actively seeking to weaken and divide the United States ahead of the November midterm elections.
In a rare joint press conference at the White House the heads of the FBI, Homeland Security, NSA and the director of National Intelligence warned that America’s democracy was “in the crosshairs.”
“(To) the American people, we acknowledge the threat, it is real, it is continuing,” said the director of national intelligence Dan Coats.
“It goes to Russia’s intent to undermine our democratic values and drive a wedge between our allies.
“We continue to see a pervasive messaging campaign by Russia to try to weaken and divide the United States.”
FBI director Christopher Wray said: “Make no mistake, the scope of this (foreign threat) is both broad and deep.”
The co-ordinated public comments on the Russian threat were an attempt by the White House to nullify criticism that the president did not take the threat of Russian interference seriously.
A day earlier Mr Trump called for the end of the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller who is examining Moscow’s attempts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
Mr Trump also cast doubt on Russia’s role in election interference during his recent summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, only to backtrack days later in the face of criticism from both parties in Congress.
But National Security Adviser John Bolton said the president had since directed a “vast, government-wide effort” to protect the US in the lead-up to the crucial midterm elections in early November.
“President Trump has not and will not tolerate interference in America’s system of representative government,” Mr Bolton said, reading a letter he sent to Senate Democrats.
Mr Coats said that while the focus was on Russia, there were other countries that had “an interest in trying to influence our domestic political environment.”
“We know that there are others who have the capability,” Mr Coats said without naming those countries. “We will continue to monitor and warn of any such efforts.”
The Secretary of Homeland Security Kristjen Nielsen said attacks on US elections aimed to undermine the American way of life.
“Our democracy itself is in the crosshairs,” she said. “Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and it has become clear that they are the target of our adversaries who seek, as the DNI just said, to sow discord and undermine our way of life.”
Even so, Mr Coats said Russia’s efforts so far to disrupt the midterm elections was not as aggressive as during the 2016 election.
“We know that through decades, Russia has tried to use its propaganda and methods to sow discord in America,” he said. “However, they stepped up their game big time in 2016. We have not seen that kind of robust effort from them so far.”
He said those behind the Russian interference were both individuals and also Kremlin-sponsored actors and that they were targeting “every opportunity regardless of party.” During the 2016 campaign US intelligence said Russian was interfering to assist Mr Trump’s campaign against his Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton.
The FBI’s Mr Wray said the types of interference included the targeting of US government officials and political candidates, criminal efforts to distort the voting process, cyber attacks and the overt and covert manipulation of news stories.
He said this was not just a threat aimed at the midterm elections but that it was a continuous campaign by Russia to undermine the US.
It was also a shared threat with Americans allies.
“(This is) a threat we need to take seriously,” Mr Wray said.
Facebook this week said it had uncovered is a sophisticated disinformation campaign on its platforms to influence US politics ahead the midterm elections.
The social network said the activity bore similarities to the Russian disinformation campaign on Facebook in 2016.
Mr Wray said the FBI had stepped up its engagement with social media companies like Facebook because of the threat posed to them by Russia. He said the FBI was now sharing ‘actionable intelligence’ about hackers with those companies.
The press conference came as the Washington Post reported that politicians and independent analysts believe the US has not done enough to protect itself against a renewed Russian effort to influence voters in the upcoming elections.
Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia
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