Chinese operatives have tried to hack phones used by Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, as well as people connected to the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats, US officials said Friday. Investigators are working to learn what data the hackers might have accessed, the New York Times reports. It's not clear whether the attacks on the candidates' phones were successful, but it appears that the phones of staff members were compromised, per the Washington Post.
An FBI statement said the hackers are affiliated with the Chinese government, per the AP. Concern in the US government is high. "We are at level 10, blinking red on China right now," one senior official said. Democrats on Capitol Hill also were mentioned as possible victims. The Trump campaign was notified this week and is awaiting a list of people who may have been targeted. Even without having access to the content texts or calls, an adversarial nation could use data about communications to select people in Trump's inner circle who might be susceptible to an influence effort, per the Times.
And American officials suspect the campaign hacking is part of a broader effort; China has long tried to hack information about US technology, infrastructure, and corporate secrets. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington contended Friday that China opposes cyberattacks and is often a victim itself, per the AP. "The presidential elections are the United States' domestic affairs," a statement said. "China has no intention and will not interfere in the US election." (More smartphone hacking stories.)
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