Foreign Powers Intensified Election Meddling in 2022 US Midterms, Intelligence Report Reveals

A declassified intelligence report reveals that China increased its election interference operations during the 2022 midterms, likely due to President Biden's perceived weakness and the belief that it would draw less attention in a non-presidential year. The report suggests that Chinese Communist Party leadership "tacitly approved" the influence campaign, raising concerns about more aggressive interference in the 2024 elections. China aimed to magnify US societal divisions and influence American public opinion and foreign policy in its favor. While China did not authorize a comprehensive campaign, it targeted a few midterm races and used online influencers, including those on TikTok, to amplify existing public narratives and sow distrust in the US democratic system. The report warns that China's election interference efforts will likely continue and may extend beyond the US, particularly with Taiwan's upcoming presidential elections.