Former US President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has alleged a hacking attempt by Iranian actors, following a report by Microsoft that detailed foreign interference efforts targeting the 2024 election. The campaign cited an example from June where an Iranian military intelligence unit used a spear-phishing email from a hacked account of a former senior advisor to target a high-ranking official within the campaign. However, they have not provided any concrete evidence to substantiate their claims of Iranian involvement.
In response to the allegations, the National Security Council spokesperson stated that they take any reports of improper foreign interference “extremely seriously” while condemning any attempts to undermine confidence in US democratic institutions. Meanwhile, Iran’s Mission to the United Nations has vehemently denied any involvement in the alleged hacking, stating that the Iranian government “neither possesses nor harbours any intent or motive to interfere in the United States presidential election.”
The accusations come amidst a backdrop of heightened tensions between the US and Iran, stemming from past events like the 2020 drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Recently, the US Justice Department charged a Pakistani national linked to Iran with plotting to assassinate US political figures, including Trump, using undercover agents posing as hitmen. This case highlights Iran’s alleged desire to target perceived enemies and seek revenge for Soleimani’s death.
Adding to the complexities of this situation, a Politico report revealed that on July 22, they began receiving emails from an anonymous AOL account named “Robert.” These emails included what appeared to be a research dossier on Republican vice-presidential nominee, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. The document was dated February 23, nearly five months before Trump chose Vance as his running mate. This finding raises questions about the potential impact of the alleged hacking on the campaign and the veracity of the information contained within the dossier.
While the campaign points to the Microsoft report released on Friday, which concluded that “Iranian hackers broke into the account of a ‘high ranking official’ on the U.S. presidential campaign in June 2024,” further investigation and verification are necessary to fully understand the extent of Iran’s alleged involvement in the hacking attempts and their potential impact on the 2024 election.
