Russia steps up influence campaign targeting US voters
The gist
The New York Times and Bloomberg reported Russia stepped up an online influence campaign using AI videos and bot networks ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.
The push targets US voters' divisions less than three weeks before elections that could shift Congress.
How it unfolded
- Oct 14, 2026X announced it had banned 13,000 accounts linked to three separate influence operations connected to Iran, Russia and China, saying the fake accounts amplified content about US politics targeting candidates and public figures across the political spectrum.
- Oct 15, 2026US intelligence officials tried to give some state officials a classified briefing on midterm election threats but could not establish a secure virtual connection to the election personnel; it would have been the first such briefing in more than two years.
- Oct 16, 2026A new Alethea study reported that Doppelgänger had stepped up attempts to sow division in the US and inflame tensions around Israel as a political wedge issue, with a flood of posts pushing themes of collapsing bipartisan support for Israel.