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 and attacking U.S. politicians supporting Ukraine, with one of them having previously held "strategic meetings" with Kremlin officials on how to subtly 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 coordinated efforts among agencies such as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. However, after Trump began his second term, multiple mechanisms at the federal level designed to counter foreign election interference have been cut or significantly weakened. The government has closed or downsized offices within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and the State Department that focused on foreign influence operations, and the Department of Homeland Security's election security team has also been reduced, leaving local election officials to deal with ongoing foreign information warfare 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 United States' willingness and ability to curb foreign manipulation of elections are declining. Mark Warner, the Democratic leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned that as the 2026 midterm elections approach, the United States is entering a new election cycle "with lowered vigilance."
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Original: toutiao.com/article/1855630240579659/
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