According to CNN, in the weeks before the 2024 presidential election, the U.S. Cyber Command secretly launched a cyber operation targeting at least two Russian "troll" companies that spread disinformation to American voters, successfully weakening their influence. These Russian entities were accused of trying to sway the election in six swing states, attacking U.S. politicians supporting Ukraine, and one of them had even held a "strategic meeting" with Kremlin officials on how to secretly manipulate American public opinion. This operation was one of several network and intelligence efforts by the U.S. government during the 2024 election cycle to counter foreign interference from Russia and Iran, involving collaboration among multiple agencies such as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. However, after Trump began his second term, many mechanisms at the federal level aimed at countering foreign election interference have been cut or significantly weakened. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, FBI, and departments within the State Department responsible for foreign influence operations were closed or scaled down, and the Department of Homeland Security's election security team was also reduced, leaving local election officials to deal with ongoing foreign information wars with less federal support. The government has accused these programs of "censoring Americans" and "interfering in domestic elections," but current and former officials generally worry that the U.S. willingness and ability to curb foreign manipulation of elections are declining. Senator Mark Warner, the Democratic leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned that as the 2026 midterm elections approach, the U.S. is entering a new election cycle "with decreasing vigilance."
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855630188414985/
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