National Intelligence: Unmatched ‘National Security Threat’ Posed by China Includes Election Interference
China poses a greater national security challenge to the United States than any other country, including when it comes to possible election interference, according to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.
With the Nov. 3 presidential election fast approaching, a senior U.S. counterintelligence official warned earlier this month that Russia is actively trying to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. That same statement also said China “prefers” President Trump not win reelection and that Beijing views him as being more “unpredictable.” That counterintelligence official said China is “expanding its influence efforts ahead of November 2020” but seemed to describe China’s efforts as being mostly rhetorical in nature.
But in a statement given to the Washington Examiner, Ratcliffe, a former Texas Republican congressman who has overseen the nation’s 17 intelligence agencies since May, amplified the sense of urgency felt by the Trump administration to counter the broad reach of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to disrupt an unfavorable status quo.
“China poses a greater national security threat to the U.S. than any other nation — economically, militarily and technologically,” Ratcliffe said. “That includes threats of election influence and interference.”
He said China is “concerned” that Trump being reelected would “lead to a continuation of policies that they perceive to be ‘anti-China.'” Ratcliffe did not mention how Biden, a former vice president, is viewed in Beijing as an alternative U.S. leader. (Read more from “National Intelligence: Unmatched ‘National Security Threat’ Posed by China Includes Election Interference” HERE)
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