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U.S. intelligence agencies attributed the reported compromise of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign to Iran in August 2024. A month later, they disclosed that Iranian actors had sent unsolicited emails to people then associated with Joe Biden’s campaign, containing excerpts from stolen, non-public Trump campaign material. The agencies did not say that Biden or Kamala Harris personally received the emails or that their campaign systems were hacked.
What U.S. officials attributed to Iran
In a joint statement on August 19, 2024, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said the Intelligence Community attributed the reported compromise of Trump’s campaign to Iran. The FBI’s statement described the broader activity as “increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle,” involving influence operations targeting the American public and cyber operations targeting presidential campaigns. Read the joint statement.
This was an official intelligence assessment, not a public release of a technical evidence package. The wording should therefore remain attributed to the agencies: they assessed that Iran was responsible for the reported campaign compromise.
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On September 18, 2024, the agencies disclosed that the FBI had learned Iranian actors sent unsolicited emails in late June and early July to people then associated with Biden’s campaign. The emails contained excerpts from stolen, non-public Trump campaign material. Read the September statement.
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The disclosed conduct was delivery of material to campaign associates; it was not a claim that Biden or Harris personally received it, that the Biden-Harris campaign’s systems were breached, or that the campaign solicited, accepted or used the material. Receiving an unsolicited email alone does not establish any of those things.
How the two campaign-related claims differ
| Campaign or recipients | Activity described by the agencies | Public disclosure | What the statement establishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trump campaign | Reported compromise attributed to Iran by the Intelligence Community | August 19, 2024 | An official intelligence assessment of the reported compromise; the public statement is not itself a technical proof package. |
| People then associated with Biden’s campaign | Unsolicited emails containing excerpts from stolen, non-public Trump campaign material | September 18, 2024; emails were sent in late June and early July | The agencies’ account of emails sent to associates. It does not establish a Biden-Harris campaign system breach or campaign use of the material. |
What the Justice Department announced
On September 27, 2024, the Justice Department announced charges against three Iranian nationals it described as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps employees. The indictment alleged a conspiracy involving account hacks tied to current and former U.S. officials, media, nongovernmental organizations and political campaigns. Read the DOJ announcement.
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An indictment is a formal allegation in a criminal case, not a verdict or proof of guilt. The announcement should not be described as a conviction.
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Key dates
- August 19, 2024: ODNI, FBI and CISA publicly attributed the reported Trump campaign compromise to Iran.
- September 18, 2024: The agencies described unsolicited emails sent to Biden campaign associates in late June and early July, carrying excerpts from stolen Trump campaign material.
- September 27, 2024: DOJ announced an indictment against three Iranian nationals in connection with an alleged conspiracy.
These are dated statements and announcements from 2024. They do not, by themselves, establish later court outcomes or subsequent agency updates.
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Reporting suspicious activity
The agencies’ 2024 releases directed campaigns and election-infrastructure stakeholders to report suspicious or criminal activity to a local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or use IC3.gov. Because those directions come from 2024 releases, check current FBI and IC3 guidance before relying on them as live reporting instructions. See the agencies’ reporting guidance.
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- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
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