Russia, China and Iran seeking to influence US ahead of elections, top intelligence official says - The Guardian

Statement says China is opposed to Trump but offers more concrete evidence of Russia’s efforts to undermine Biden.

Russia is backing Donald Trump, China is supporting Joe Biden and Iran is seeking to sow chaos in the US presidential election, a top intelligence official has warned in a sobering assessment of foreign meddling.

The statement on Friday by William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, raises fears of a repeat of the 2016 election, when Russia manipulated social media to help Trump and hurt his opponent Hillary Clinton.

Evanina also warned that some “Kremlin-linked actors” were spreading false claims about corruption to undermine Biden, while others were trying to “boost President Trump’s candidacy via social media and Russian television”.

“We assess that China prefers that President Trump – whom Beijing sees as unpredictable – does not win re-election,” Evanina said.

“China has been expanding its influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States, pressure political figures it views as opposed to China’s interests, and deflect and counter criticism of China.”.

“Iran’s efforts along these lines probably will focus on on-line influence, such as spreading disinformation on social media and recirculating anti-US content.

“China would love us to have an election where Donald Trump lost to ‘Sleepy’ Joe Biden?