Trump to reportedly allow sanctions against suspected election meddlers


President Trump is likely to okay sanctions against foreign people or companies who may have interfered in U.S. elections, officials tell Reuters. He may sign the executive order as early as Wednesday, provided Hurricane Florence doesn't impede the process, The New York Times reports.
The threat of foreign interference in American elections came to a head during the 2016 election, particularly when emails from Hillary Clinton and Democratic National Committee were leaked; Russian intelligence officers were later indicted for the crime. Russian hackers have again tried to breach several candidates, think tanks, and even the U.S. Senate in the run-up to the 2018 midterms. Still, Trump has tended to brush off potential Russian threats, going so far as to call anything that happened in 2016 a "hoax."
With this order, it looks like Trump is changing course. The document requires any federal agency that suspects election interference to notify National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, an official who's seen a draft told Reuters. "Interference" includes any attempts to hack election systems or influence how people vote.
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.
The U.S. still has Russia under heavy sanctions for annexing Crimea and past election meddling, and officials "played down how effective sanctions might be against election meddling," per the Times. Still, one official said the move shows just how serious Trump is about protecting American elections.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
July 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include an extrajudicial detainment camp, 'alligator Alcatraz', and tax cuts for billionaires.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami