RT accused of building networks to sway US voters in favour of Trump, says US intelligence official
Russian state media outlet RT has built networks of Americans and others to sway US voters into backing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump over his Democratic foe, Kamala Harris, a senior US intelligence official said on Friday.
The official's comment in a briefing on foreign interference in the November presidential election comes amid a broad US government push to counter alleged efforts by Russia, Iran and China to influence US voters ahead of the election.
On Wednesday, the US charged two RT employees in an alleged scheme to have an American firm produce online content to influence the vote.
"As this week’s US government efforts further demonstrated, Russia is using" private Russian firms and RT "to covertly amplify and stoke domestic divisions and push for Russia’s preferred electoral outcomes," the official said on condition of anonymity.
"RT has built and used networks of US and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russia-friendly narratives," the official continued. "These actors among others are supporting Moscow’s efforts to influence voter preferences in favor of the former president (Trump) and diminish the prospects of the vice president (Harris)."
RT responded to the charges on Wednesday with ridicule, telling Reuters, "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections."
Russia is the most active foreign adversary trying to influence the election, while China is more focused on influencing down-ballot races, the official said. US officials have previously said they don't believe China is seeking to influence the outcome of the US presidential election.
The official said Iran is more active than in past cycles, stepping up its efforts to sway voters leading up to the presidential and congressional election.
The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Chinese embassy and the Iranian mission to the UN did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russia, China and Iran have previously denied interfering in US elections. The US intelligence community is increasing the use of private warnings to targets of foreign influence operations, the official added.
Justice Department officials on Wednesday said the two RT employees used shell companies and fake personas to pay $10 million to an unidentified Tennessee company to produce online videos aimed at amplifying political divisions in the United States.
US officials told a Senate committee in May that an increasing number of foreign actors, including non-state actors, are seeking to influence US elections, and Russia, China and Iran, while the most significant, are far from alone.