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US Intelligence Warns of Russian Election Disinformation Tactics

The intelligence community anticipates that these activities will ramp up as Election Day approaches and in the weeks following, with foreign influence narratives particularly targeting battleground states, according to a joint statement from the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The statement identified Russia as the “most active threat” and noted that Russia has denied allegations of interfering in U.S. elections.

“Russian influence actors have also created and disseminated a recent video falsely portraying an interview with someone alleging election fraud in Arizona, which claimed that fake ballots were produced overseas and voter rolls were altered to benefit Vice President Kamala Harris,” the statement continued.

On the eve of the election, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris both expressed confidence about their chances as they campaigned extensively across Pennsylvania and other key states in a particularly tight U.S. presidential election.

The campaign has been marked by dramatic incidents, including two assassination attempts against Trump and his subsequent felony conviction, while Democratic VP Harris unexpectedly rose to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden, 81, withdrew his reelection bid due to pressure within his party. Since March, over $2.6 billion has been spent on efforts to influence voters, according to AdImpact, a data analysis firm.

Despite the heavy campaigning and spending, opinion polls indicate that Trump, 78, and Harris, 60, are neck and neck. It’s possible that the winner won’t be determined for days following Tuesday’s vote, with Trump already indicating he would contest any potential loss, reminiscent of his actions in 2020.

Both candidates made crucial stops in Pennsylvania on Monday, urging supporters to head to the polls. The state holds the largest number of Electoral College votes among the seven battleground states deemed critical for the election outcome.

On the final full day of campaigning, Trump visited North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan before returning to his home in Palm Beach, Florida, to cast his vote and await the election results.

Harris made five campaign stops throughout Pennsylvania, hitting key cities where Trump was also campaigning, such as Reading and Pittsburgh.

She concluded her day in Philadelphia with a star-studded event at the iconic “Rocky steps” of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, famously featured in the film “Rocky.” Despite the support of high-profile celebrities like Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, who rallied the crowd beforehand, Harris referred to herself as the underdog, ready to fight for victory like Rocky.

“The momentum is on our side,” Harris declared, with the crowd responding, “We will win.”

“So tonight, we finish as we began: filled with optimism, energy, and joy,” she asserted, predicting one of the closest elections in U.S. history.

In Allentown, Harris connected with the city’s sizable Puerto Rican population, addressing concerns sparked by derogatory remarks directed at them during a Trump rally. She later engaged in door-to-door campaigning in Reading and held a brief rally in Pittsburgh, where pop star Katy Perry performed.

Trump, addressing a large audience in an arena in Pittsburgh, delivered what his campaign labeled as his final message just hours before the polls opened.

“We’ve been waiting four years for this moment,” Trump stated, as he sought a political comeback after losing the 2020 election to Biden.

In his speech, Trump emphasized economic themes, warning that a Harris victory would lead to economic hardship.

“We are going to win Pennsylvania, and that will be it,” Trump proclaimed, later mentioning that he had received an endorsement from podcaster Joe Rogan.

The Harris campaign maintains that its internal data suggests undecided voters are moving in their favor, with a notable increase in early voting reported among key demographic groups, including young voters and voters of color.

According to Tom Bonier, director of the Democratic analytics firm TargetSmart, the early voting patterns reveal high enthusiasm among Democratic-leaning demographics, especially women. However, he noted a lack of similar enthusiasm among young men, who are a critical audience for the Trump campaign’s outreach efforts.

  • seok chen

    Seok Chen is a mass communication graduate from the City University of Hong Kong.