Janice R. Andrews
Report: Chinese Hackers Accessed RNC Email Systems for Extended Period
Washington, D.C. – A new report reveals that Chinese hackers breached the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) email system during the 2024 presidential campaign, remaining undetected for months.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft alerted top officials to the cyber intrusion in July 2024, just before the Republican national convention in Milwaukee. The hackers were reportedly seeking information about the Republican Party’s stance on Taiwan, as detailed in Alex Isenstadt’s book “Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power.”
The report claims that RNC officials and Trump campaign co-chair Chris LaCivita opted not to inform the FBI about the breach, citing concerns about potential media leaks. The intrusion was discovered only days before the July 13 assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
China’s embassy in Washington has denied involvement, stating that “China firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cyber theft in all forms.”
This incident follows a December 2024 cyberattack on the U.S. Treasury Department, also attributed to Chinese hackers, who reportedly exploited security credentials from third-party provider BeyondTrust. The Treasury breach was classified as a “major incident.”
These cybersecurity concerns emerge amid escalating U.S.-China tensions, exacerbated by renewed trade disputes under the Trump administration. The RNC has not yet issued a formal response to the reported email breach.
