In a recent development, U.S. authorities revealed that cybercriminals possibly linked to China may have attempted to infiltrate the phones and networks utilized by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance. This information comes from various sources familiar with the matter, as reported by the BBC’s U.S. news partner, CBS News.
According to these sources, the Trump-Vance campaign was informed that their phones could have been targeted as part of a wider cyberattack. Additionally, individuals connected to the Harris-Walz campaign also appear to have been targeted, as noted by a source with knowledge of the situation.
Currently, it remains uncertain how much information, if any, has been compromised. The Department of Justice and the FBI have refrained from commenting on whether any candidates were specifically targeted. However, a joint statement from both the FBI and the Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has confirmed that the U.S. government is investigating “unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China.”
The statement further detailed how, upon identifying the “malicious activity,” the agencies promptly notified affected companies, provided technical assistance, and shared information swiftly to help other potential victims. They assured that the investigation is still active, highlighting that “agencies across the U.S. government are collaborating to aggressively mitigate this threat and are coordinating with our industry partners to strengthen cyber defenses across the commercial communications sector.”
In a surprising turn, the Trump campaign has shifted the blame onto Democrats, alleging—though without evidence—that this incident serves as an attempt “to prevent President Trump from returning to the White House.” Sources have indicated that law enforcement is treating the hack as an act of espionage rather than a campaign manipulation effort.
Earlier this month, reports surfaced concerning hacks targeting U.S. telecommunications companies, with Verizon being among those affected. The New York Times reported that hackers might have utilized Verizon to potentially target Trump’s and Vance’s data.
Verizon spokesman Rich Young acknowledged the situation, stating that the company is “aware that a highly sophisticated nation-state actor has reportedly targeted several U.S. telecommunications providers to gather intelligence.” He confirmed that Verizon is cooperating with law enforcement agencies in the ongoing investigation and working to resolve any additional issues.
It’s worth noting that earlier this year, the Trump campaign had already been the target of a hack, with three Iranian nationals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps charged in September for allegedly attempting to undermine a presidential campaign. U.S. government officials have long warned of the risks associated with foreign interference in American elections.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan voiced concerns over this matter in the summer, stating, “Our adversaries do look at American elections as points to try to influence, to try to undermine confidence in our democracy, to try to put their thumb on the scale. We are clear-eyed about that. And we are doing a lot to push back against it.”
Additionally, in January, Congress convened to discuss this issue, with FBI Director Christopher Wray cautioning that Chinese hackers were gearing up to “wreak havoc and cause real-world harm” to the United States.
