- FBI probes claims Iran hacked Trump campaign
- The FBI confirmed the investigation but it did not explicitly name Trump or Iran
- The Trump campaign alleges that “foreign sources hostile to the United States” illegally obtained documents
- Iran denies the claims and the US govt has not officially accused Iran
- The investigation also explores whether Iranian hackers targeted the Biden-Harris campaign, report says
FBI probes claims Iran hacked Trump campaign
The FBI has launched an investigation into claims by the Trump campaign that it was targeted by hackers linked to the Iranian government. While the FBI confirmed the investigation, it did not explicitly name Trump or Iran. The Trump campaign alleges that “foreign sources hostile to the United States” illegally obtained documents, a claim Iran denies. The U.S. government has not officially accused Iran.
The investigation also explores whether Iranian hackers targeted the Biden-Harris campaign, according to reports from CBS News. This follows a Microsoft report suggesting that Iranian hackers attempted a spear-phishing attack on an unnamed U.S. presidential candidate in June.
Despite the hacking attempts, Trump stated that only publicly available information was accessed. The FBI began its probe in early summer, prompted by phishing attempts on both campaigns. Calls for transparency have been made, with Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff urging the FBI to act swiftly, referencing the slow response to Russian interference in the 2016 election.
This investigation comes amid broader concerns about foreign interference in U.S. elections, including previous warnings of an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. The U.S. Department of Justice recently charged a Pakistani man with ties to Iran for allegedly plotting to assassinate U.S. officials, possibly including Trump.