Donald Trump’s campaign has recently raised alarms about a significant breach in their internal communications, suggesting that Iranian operatives may have been behind the hacking. According to a report by the US news website Politico, the Trump campaign has claimed that some of their confidential documents, including detailed internal research on Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, were illegally obtained from foreign sources hostile to the United States. The campaign asserts that these documents were intended to interfere with the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Politico has confirmed the authenticity of the leaked documents, which include a 271-page file on Vance and other materials related to Florida Senator Marco Rubio, another potential vice presidential contender. However, the BBC has not independently verified these claims. The Trump campaign has not provided additional details or specific evidence linking the document leak directly to Iranian hackers or the Iranian government.
This development comes in the wake of a report released by Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) in June, which revealed that Iranian hackers had targeted the campaign of an unnamed US presidential candidate. Microsoft’s report indicated that the campaign was hit with a spear phishing email—a deceptive message designed to appear legitimate in order to trick the recipient into clicking on a malicious link. The MTAC report highlighted that Iranian influence operations have become a notable concern in recent months, reflecting a broader trend of cyber-enabled influence activities attributed to Iranian actors.
In response to the report, Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, pointed out that the timing of the June hacking attempt coincided with Trump’s selection of his vice presidential nominee. Cheung suggested that the Iranian hackers were aware of this strategic development and intended to undermine the campaign’s efforts. He emphasized that Trump, during his previous term in office, had demonstrated his commitment to confronting Iranian threats and would continue to do so in the current election cycle.
Politico reported that in late July, it began receiving emails from an individual using the pseudonym “Robert,” who communicated via an AOL email account. These emails contained the leaked research documents, including the extensive file on Vance. The research, based on publicly available information, included analyses of Vance’s past record and statements, with some criticisms of Trump labeled as “potential vulnerabilities.” The emails also included portions of a research document about Rubio.
Microsoft’s report on Iranian cyber activities noted that such influence operations have been a consistent feature in at least the last three US election cycles. This follows a similar report released during the 2020 election, which also documented attempts by Iranian hackers to interfere with presidential campaigns.
In addition to these cyber threats, US security sources have recently warned of a potential Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. This warning is unrelated to a recent attempted shooting in Pennsylvania but highlights ongoing concerns about Iranian operatives targeting US officials. Furthermore, on Tuesday, the US Justice Department charged a Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran, accusing him of plotting to assassinate US officials, including possibly Trump. This charge underscores the heightened concerns about Iranian threats to American political figures and the broader implications for national security.
