Foreign Election Interference Threat Looms Ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks about Russian election interference at a press conference in September. (Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)
Just weeks before the 2024 election, the Justice Department’s National Security Division warned that the US may face a “multi-pronged” threat from Russia, Iran, and China. In September, Microsoft’s Threat Assessment Team uncovered several Russian campaigns aimed at undermining Vice President Kamala Harris’ credibility to bolster former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee. One such campaign falsely claimed to be a San Francisco TV station reporting that Harris was involved in a hit-and-run incident. According to Microsoft, falsified media outlets are a common tactic used by Russian adversaries to interfere in the American political process. The team also identified Iran and China as potential threats in the upcoming election.
Election interference refers to any attack on vote-counting mechanisms in the United States. The timing of intelligence agencies’ public disclosures about interference threats plays a crucial role in the perceived credibility of these claims. For instance, in 2016, former President Obama opted not to inform the public about Russian interference before the election, concerned that it might appear as an attempt to tilt public opinion in favor of Hillary Clinton. When intelligence agencies finally disclosed the information nearly two months after the election, right-wing commentators labeled it a conspiracy against Trump, while left-leaning critics argued that this evidence undermined Trump’s legitimacy as a president.
Former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
Last week, Trump accused the UK’s Labour Party of interfering on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris after “nearly 100 Labour Party staff” volunteered for the Harris campaign in several swing states. Trump compared the Labour Party members’ involvement in the Harris campaign to the Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) support of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. However, a key distinction between the two exists: while the ALP funded its members’ trips, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has denied any funding for the Labour members’ travel. Instead, these volunteers are covering their own expenses to assist the Harris campaign.
Regarding foreign intervention in US elections, Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations permit foreign nationals to volunteer in American political campaigns as long as they do not influence or participate in the decision-making process. Additionally, any US resident, not only citizens, may donate to a campaign provided that they adhere to the FEC’s contribution limits.
Claims of election interference from foreign nations are nothing new in the American electoral system and have become increasingly common since the 2016 presidential election. In the absence of concrete evidence, such accusations can have significant repercussions on the United States’ interactions and relationships with the nations accused of interference. The UK, one of America’s strongest allies, has not been identified by any credible government source as a threat in this election cycle. However, if Trump wins this November, his accusations could strain UK-US relations, creating tensions that might complicate future collaborations and weaken the alliance.