Donald Trump’s campaign has claimed that its internal communications were hacked, alleging that Iranian operatives were behind the breach. According to US news site Politico, the campaign’s documents, including research on Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, were leaked.
Politico reported that it had received these documents, which the Trump campaign says were illegally obtained from foreign sources hostile to the United States, with the intent to disrupt the 2024 election. The campaign has not provided further evidence directly linking the hack to Iranian actors, and the BBC has not independently verified these claims.
This report follows a recent Microsoft analysis indicating that Iranian hackers targeted a US presidential campaign in June. Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) noted that the hackers used a spear phishing email to try and access sensitive information. MTAC highlighted an increase in influence operations by Iranian actors over recent election cycles.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, linked the timing of the reported hack to Trump’s selection of Vance as a vice presidential nominee. Cheung emphasized that Trump’s administration had previously countered Iranian actions effectively.
Politico’s report mentions that the leaked documents, including a 271-page file on Vance and partial research on Florida Senator Marco Rubio, were sent from an AOL email account by someone identified only as “Robert.” The documents reportedly outlined potential vulnerabilities and criticisms of Vance.
In addition to the hacking report, there have been warnings of a broader Iranian threat. US security sources have flagged a possible Iranian plot against Trump, unrelated to a recent attempted shooting in Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, the US Justice Department charged a Pakistani national with ties to Iran for allegedly plotting to assassinate US officials.
The BBC has reached out to Iranian officials for a response to these allegations.
