Russia interfered in the 2016 election and may
try to sway next year’s vote as well. But it’s not
the only nation with an eye on U.S. politics.
American officials sounding the alarm about
foreign efforts to disrupt the 2020 election
include multiple countries in that warning.
Concerns abound not only about possible
hacking of campaigns but also about the spread
of disinformation on social media and potential
efforts to breach voting databases and even
alter votes.
The anxiety goes beyond the possibility that
U.S. adversaries could directly affect election
results: The mere hint of foreign meddling could
undermine public confidence in vote tallies, a
worrisome possibility in a tight election.
“Unfortunately, it’s not just Russia anymore. In
particular, China, Iran, a couple of others, studied
what the Russians did in 2016,” said James Lewis,
a cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies in Washington.