US intelligence confirms that a Russian disinformation campaign targets VP candidate Tim Walz.
In a significant development that underscores ongoing foreign interference in US elections, US intelligence officials have conclusively determined that Russia is behind a sophisticated disinformation campaign targeting Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz.
The campaign centered around a viral video containing false allegations about Walz’s time as a teacher at Mankato West High School. The video, which has garnered over 5 million views on social media platform X, features someone claiming to be former student Matthew Metro making serious accusations against Walz from 1997.
However, the real Matthew Metro, now residing in Hawaii, has completely debunked these claims. “It’s obviously not me. The teeth are different, the hair is different, the eyes are different, and the nose is different,” Metro told The Washington Post. “I don’t know where they’re getting this from.” He added that he has never met Walz and described the deepfake as “an invasion of my privacy and personal life.”
Intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that “Russian influence actors manufactured and amplified the content.” They pointed to several telltale signs that match known Russian disinformation tactics, including the video’s “staged direct to camera” approach and deliberate attempts to make it go viral.
This operation appears to be part of a larger Russian influence campaign known as “Storm-1516,” previously uncovered by Clemson University’s Media Forensics Hub. The campaign specializes in fabricating whistleblower videos and fabricating false evidence with the intention of going viral on social media.
Morgan Finkelstein, a spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, responded forcefully: “Vladimir Putin wants Donald Trump to win because he knows Trump will roll over and give him anything he wants. We condemn in the strongest terms any effort by foreign actors to interfere in U.S. elections.”
The intelligence community warns that these efforts are likely to intensify as Election Day approaches. Officials expect Russia to become even more aggressive in its disinformation efforts if the Harris-Walz ticket wins, as Russia believes election controversies weaken the United States.
Other foreign actors are also attempting to influence the election.
- Iran has targeted former President Trump with both disinformation and hacking attempts.
- China has focused on down-ballot races and general efforts to sow distrust
- We expect all three nations to intensify their activities in the post-election period.
However, Jen Easterly, director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, has reassured the public that improvements to election security will prevent any foreign adversary from altering actual election results.
This incident highlights the increasingly sophisticated nature of foreign interference in US elections. Deepfake technology and AI-generated content, along with social media amplification, pose new challenges for both election security officials and voters.
As we approach Election Day, officials urge Americans to be vigilant about the information they encounter and share on social media. This includes:
- Verifying sources before sharing content
- We should be wary of emotional or sensational claims.
- We are verifying information on official campaign and news websites.
- It is understood that foreign actors often exploit divisive issues.
The intelligence community continues to monitor and combat these threats, working to ensure the integrity of the upcoming election while keeping the public informed about foreign interference attempts.
Russia, China, and Iran have all denied involvement in US election interference. The Russian embassy did not respond to requests for comment regarding the Walz video.