At a time of escalating global tensions and verified instances of foreign interference in U.S. elections, the far right has proposed banning U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) from participating in federal efforts to fortify elections. This proposal, part of the far right’s Project 2025, could potentially empower foreign actors to influence U.S. elections and allow the far right to gain more power as foreign adversaries seek to divide Americans and promote extremist ideologies.
Combating foreign interference in elections has been especially critical since Russia worked to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. U.S. government investigations concluded that Russia aggressively targeted Black Americans on social media to disincentivize them from voting—tactics reminiscent of Soviet-era strategies aimed at magnifying societal divisions, especially race-based ones. Since then, the United States has adopted a whole-of-government approach to countering election cyberthreats and foreign influence operations. This approach focuses on ensuring coordination among all government agencies working to track and counter cyberthreats related to elections.
The far right justifies its proposal by branding CYBERCOM’s election-related work as “partisan.” However, just as the U.S. Department of Defense works without partisan objectives to secure American democracy abroad and at home, CYBERCOM aims to secure American democracy in cyberspace.
While many other agencies help generate insights on foreign adversaries, share intelligence, and coordinate with industry and allied partners, CYBERCOM is considered the United States’ best tool for actively defending against sophisticated cyber operations and disrupting malicious cyber actors. CYBERCOM’s recent effectiveness in countering election interference can be attributed chiefly to two developments: congressional authorization for defense agencies to “take down [foreign] infrastructure” in response to cyber operations; and an executive order by the Trump administration authorizing military engagement in “offensive cyber operations” following foreign interference in the 2018 midterm elections.
Since 2018, CYBERCOM has deployed "hunt forward" teams in more than 20 countries on dozens of networks to defend U.S. national security. The agency has also provided U.S. cyber support to Ukraine—not only helping defend Ukraine but also learning about Russian cyber operations to better protect the United States from threats including election interference. In 2020, CYBERCOM identified attempts by Iranian agents to hack systems used by local governments for publishing election results and took action against Iranian agents attempting voter intimidation.
Intelligence officials have repeatedly assessed that China, Russia, and Iran pose ongoing election threats aimed at advancing their global interests while undermining Western alliances and American societal cohesion. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence's 2024 Annual Threat Assessment warns:
“The PRC [People’s Republic of China] may attempt to influence the U.S. elections in 2024 at some level because of its desire to sideline critics of China and magnify U.S. societal divisions.”
“Russia is contemplating how U.S. electoral outcomes in 2024 could impact Western support for Ukraine and probably will attempt to affect the elections in ways that best support its interests and goals.”
“Ahead of the U.S. election in 2024, Iran may attempt influence operations targeting U.S. interests.”
These warnings have already materialized this year. In April 2024, Microsoft reported identifying Russian interference operations aimed at undermining American support for Ukraine—with over 70 Russian actors engaged this year alone—and Chinese Communist Party-linked actors posing as American voters posting AI-manipulated content about political candidates on social media platforms.
Elections are a matter of national security; their outcome should belong solely in the hands of American citizens. America’s military cannot adequately defend the nation if it is prevented from protecting elections—the bedrock of American democracy—from foreign interference.
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