The presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that it had fallen victim to a hacking incident. This incident, which suggested that Iranian actors might be involved in the breach and dissemination of sensitive internal documents, potentially influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
While the campaign did not present specific evidence directly linking Iran to the attack, the claim emerged shortly after Microsoft, a leading cybersecurity company, released a report detailing foreign attempts to interfere in the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign. The report highlighted a case in June where an Iranian military intelligence unit allegedly sent a spear-phishing email to a senior official of a presidential campaign using a compromised email account of a former senior advisor.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, attributed the hack to “foreign sources hostile to the United States.” A spokesperson for the National Security Council responded by emphasizing that any reports of improper foreign interference are taken “extremely seriously” and condemned any attempts to undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions. The spokesperson added that the matter was referred to the Justice Department.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations denied any involvement when asked about the Trump campaign’s allegations. “We do not accord any credence to such reports,” the mission stated. “The Iranian government neither possesses nor harbors any intent or motive to interfere in the United States presidential election.” Despite this denial, Iran has long been suspected of orchestrating hacking campaigns against its adversaries in the Middle East and beyond. Additionally, Tehran has repeatedly threatened retaliation against Trump for the 2020 drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
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Recently, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against a Pakistani national with connections to Iran. The individual was alleged to have plotted assassination attempts against U.S. political figures, including Trump, and sought to hire hitmen who turned out to be undercover law enforcement officials. Court documents in that case highlighted Iran’s desire to target perceived enemies and avenge Soleimani’s death.
Politico was the first to report on the hacking incident, revealing that the outlet began receiving emails on July 22 from an anonymous source using an AOL email account identified only as “Robert.” The source shared what appeared to be a research dossier prepared by the Trump campaign on Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee. The document was dated February 23, almost five months before Trump selected Vance as his running mate.
“These documents were obtained illegally” and were “intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process,” Cheung stated. He pointed to the Microsoft report, which concluded that “Iranian hackers broke into the account of a ‘high ranking official’ on the U.S. presidential campaign in June 2024,” coinciding with the timing of Trump’s selection of a vice presidential nominee.
Cheung warned that “any media or news outlet reprinting documents or internal communications are doing the bidding of America’s enemies and doing exactly what they want.” He did not respond to further questions about the campaign’s communications with Microsoft on the matter. Microsoft declined to comment beyond its blog post and report.
Microsoft’s report noted that foreign interference in the 2024 U.S. election began gradually but intensified over the last six months, initially driven by Russian operations and, more recently, by Iranian activity. The report emphasized that Iranian cyber-enabled influence operations have consistently targeted U.S. elections in recent cycles, with tactics focused on election conduct rather than directly swaying voters.
The report specifically mentioned an incident in June 2024 when an Iranian military intelligence unit known as Mint Sandstorm, a group with a history of cyber-enabled influence operations, sent a phishing email to an American presidential campaign through a compromised account of a former advisor. The email contained a hyperlink directing traffic through an actor-controlled domain before redirecting to the intended domain.
The campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, did not immediately comment on the reported hacking or its cybersecurity protocols.
Growing Concerns Over Foreign Interference
The Trump campaign’s hacking incident has raised significant concerns about the potential for foreign interference in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. While the accusations against Iran remain unsubstantiated, the situation underscores the ongoing risks posed by cyber threats from foreign actors. As the election season progresses, the vigilance of both campaigns and cybersecurity agencies will be crucial in safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process.
