Trump Campaign Accuses Iran of Hacking Internal Communications

The Justice Department is reportedly preparing criminal charges against Iran for an alleged hack that targeted former President Trump's 2024 campaign.

The Justice Department is preparing to file criminal charges in connection with an alleged Iranian hack that targeted former President Trump's campaign, according to media reports.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, the Justice Department's top national security official, stated in a speech that Iran is intensifying its efforts to influence the upcoming presidential election, perceiving it as having significant implications for its national security interests. He added that Iran's activities are becoming increasingly aggressive.

Trump Campaign Accuses Iran of Hacking Internal Communications

The expected charges are part of an effort to counter covert foreign influence operations aimed at manipulating voters in the 2024 election cycle.

In August, the Trump campaign alleged that Iranians had stolen sensitive documents through hacking. The FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency attributed that hack, as well as an attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign, to Iran.

Trump Campaign Accuses Iran of Hacking Internal Communications

A joint statement issued by intelligence agencies at the time indicated that Iran had employed social engineering and other techniques to gain access to individuals with direct ties to the presidential campaigns of both political parties. The statement emphasized that such tactics, including theft and disclosure of information, are intended to impact the US election process.

The statement added that these tactics are not novel, having been used by Iran and Russia in previous US election cycles and other countries around the globe.

Trump Campaign Accuses Iran of Hacking Internal Communications

The statement did not indicate whether Iran favors one candidate over the other, but Trump has long been a target of Tehran since he authorized a strike that killed Iranian Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Forces, in 2020.

The upcoming charges, if filed, will mark the first criminal prosecution of Iran for election interference in the United States.

Trump Campaign Accuses Iran of Hacking Internal Communications

The Justice Department has warned of foreign interference in the presidential race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, with nations like Russia and China engaging in hacking and using social media to sway public opinion.

Fox News Digital has sought comments from the Trump campaign, the Department of Justice, and Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations but has yet to receive responses.

The Washington Post first reported the preparation of the charges.