New U.S. Strategy Against Foreign Election Interference: Will It Work?

The U.S. Intelligence Community has implemented a more aggressive strategy to combat foreign election meddling, particularly targeting disinformation campaigns. The approach emphasizes immediate action against efforts by countries like Russia, Iran, China, and Cuba to sow discord among American voters.

This strategic shift became evident recently when authorities swiftly addressed a false viral video about voter fraud in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. U.S. officials promptly identified and announced that Russian operatives had created and spread the misleading content on X (previously Twitter). They followed this with another alert about a second Russian-produced deceptive video.

This represents a stark change from previous approaches, which were more reactive. The new strategy focuses on:

• Rapid declassification of intelligence
• Immediate public announcements
• Legal action against disinformation networks
• Domain seizures of fake news websites
• Criminal indictments against foreign operatives

A notable example is the disruption of “Project Good Old USA,” a Russian operation using fabricated news and social media accounts to spread divisive political content. The administration has taken concrete steps against this project, including legal action against Russian agents who were funding U.S. conservative media outlets.

However, effectiveness remains a concern. Foreign operatives, particularly Russian ones, continue to adapt quickly when exposed. As Paul Kolbe, a former CIA official, notes, Russia’s intelligence services view exposure as a minor inconvenience, simply shifting to new platforms or methods when discovered. The “Doppelganger” campaign exemplifies this adaptability – when authorities shut down Russian-linked fake news sites, the operation quickly reappeared using slightly modified web addresses.

While public exposure might not completely stop foreign interference, U.S. officials believe their new rapid-response approach can help minimize the impact of these disinformation campaigns on American voters.