Chinese hackers are believed to have targeted cellphones used by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The Trump/Vance campaign was made aware this week that Trump and Vance are among several people whose phone numbers are believed to have been targeted and potentially compromised, the sources said. It’s not clear what, if any, access was gained to the devices. Investigators are working to determine that information, the sources told ABC News.
Former resident Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, Republican vice-presidential nominee, stand together during a campaign event at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich., July 20, 2024.
Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
People affiliated with the Harris-Walz campaign were also targeted, a source familiar with the campaign told ABC News.
The FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a statement on the hacks, but did not name the campaign. However, sources told ABC News the targets were the Trump/Vance campaign.
“The U.S. Government is investigating the unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China,” the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said in a statement. “After the FBI identified specific malicious activity targeting the sector, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) immediately notified affected companies, rendered technical assistance, and rapidly shared information to assist other potential victims.”
Responding to the news, the Trump campaign is attempting to blame Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden administration saying they are “emboldening China and Iran attacking critical American infrastructure, to prevent President Trump from returning to the White House.”
The New York Times first reported the news.
The current understanding is this was a wide-ranging campaign that targeted officials of both parties, according to a source familiar with the investigation. The investigation has been ongoing for some time and law enforcement recently began notifying various people who were targeted by this cyber campaign.
The FBI/CISA joint statement released Friday was not in response to The New York Times’ reporting, according to a senior administration official, who added that a public disclosure of an unauthorized access to commercial telecom infrastructure had been planned for days.
Source: abc news
