Iranian cyber operatives have extended their influence into the upcoming Trump administration after a cyber assault was directed at the president-elect’s choice for FBI director, Kash Patel, according to various reports.
CNN referenced two sources, one of whom claimed that “some of Patel’s communications” had been breached. Donald Trump’s team refrained from elaborating on the reports, but transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer informed the network: “Kash Patel played a significant role in the initial Trump administration’s initiatives against the terrorist Iranian regime and will execute President Trump’s strategies to safeguard America from threats as the FBI Director.”
Indeed, Patel was part of the first Trump regime’s National Security Council, serving as an advisor to the acting director of national intelligence and as chief of staff to former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller.
Trump has previously been informed by the bureau that he is “among the foremost targets” of Iran, and the purported recent cyber assault is merely one of several incidents that have occurred in recent months.
In August, the FBI, ODNI, and CISA released a joint statement indicating there had been “efforts to compromise former President Trump’s campaign,” which the intelligence community “attributes to Iran.”
Furthermore, both Google and Microsoft announced that they had dismantled phishing operations orchestrated by Iran-affiliated hackers in the lead-up to the 2024 election. OpenAI also stated it had terminated ChatGPT accounts suspected of participating in an Iranian misinformation campaign.
A September indictment revealed that three Iranian individuals gained access to the email account of a Trump campaign official during the summer, enabling them to steal materials for debate preparation and details regarding potential vice presidential candidates.
The individuals, believed to be linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reportedly engaged in a campaign that dates back to January 2020 when Trump authorized a strike that resulted in the death of top military general Qasem Soleimani.
