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A recently declassified intelligence report has revealed a surge in meddling efforts by China, Russia, and Iran in the 2022 US midterm elections, surpassing levels seen in the 2018 midterms.

Published in December 2022 but declassified last week, the report from the US Intelligence Community (IC) highlighted the growing threat posed by foreign actors to US election integrity. Notably, it did not identify any directive from foreign leaders for comprehensive influence campaigns, similar to Russia’s approach in the 2016 election, and confirmed that the overall foreign activity was less than during presidential election cycles.

Despite no direct interference with election infrastructure or vote tampering, the IC observed a strategy shift, with foreign actors focusing on amplifying genuine US public narratives to “sway electoral outcomes, increase mistrust in the electoral process, and deepen sociopolitical divisions.” This indirect approach offers plausible deniability as these actors leverage US content to exploit existing societal rifts.

The report specifically noted high confidence in Russia’s intention to “weaken the Democratic Party,” likely to reduce US support for Ukraine, and China’s tacit approval of influencing certain midterm races, especially against candidates perceived as anti-China.

The IC’s assessment also included moderate confidence in Iran’s efforts to exploit US social divisions and undermine confidence in democratic institutions. These efforts, however, were constrained by limited resources amidst domestic unrest. Additionally, the report mentioned smaller-scale activities by Cuba, focusing primarily on Florida’s political candidates.