Russian interference in 2018 elections is 'highly likely,' top intelligence official says


Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Tuesday that it's "highly likely" that Russia will try and influence the outcome of America's 2018 midterm elections.
While speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Coats said that while intelligence agencies had not yet seen a "robust effort" by the Kremlin to meddle, such efforts were likely underway, Reuters reports. Coats additionally said that the Trump administration is "actively engaged" in combating Russian efforts to influence November's midterm elections.
Russia has consistently denied any involvement in political interference in the 2016 election, even as Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russian nationals last month for attempting to disrupt the election "through fraud and deceit," including targeted social media propaganda. Some lawmakers at Tuesday's hearing pressed Coats on establishing a clear plan to prevent foreign meddling, reports Yahoo News. National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers additionally told the committee that President Trump had "not granted him authority" to work towards disrupting interference from Moscow, Reuters notes.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"We have not seen evidence of a robust effort yet on the part of Russia, but we know their malign activities continue to exist," Coats said. "It's highly likely that they will be doing something. We just don't know how much and when and where."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Ukraine: Trump's mixed messages
Feature Trump reverses a Pentagon freeze on Patriot missiles to Ukraine as Russia ramps up air attacks
-
Diddy: An abuser who escaped justice?
Feature The jury cleared Sean Combs of major charges but found him guilty of lesser offenses
-
Death from above: Drones upend rules of war in Ukraine
Feature The world's militaries are paying close attention to drone use in the Russia-Ukraine war
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shooting
Speed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress