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Presumed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden warned that Russia is once again trying to interfere in the upcoming presidential election.
Biden issued the warning at a fundraiser on Friday night, when he revealed that he had started receiving reports again due to his candidate status.
“We know this from before and I guarantee that I know it now because now I receive reports again. The Russians are still committed to trying to delegitimize our electoral process. Done,” said the former vice president.
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“China and others are also involved in activities designed to make us lose confidence in the outcome,” he added.
Biden did not disclose when he began receiving intelligence reports, but it is typical for top candidates from political parties to receive them before the presidential election. In 2016, then-Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump began receiving intelligence reports beginning in August.
No other details were added during Biden’s fundraising speech about how the 2020 presidential election could be compromised by outside influences.
When speaking at an event on June 30, Biden said he “may very well” request access to intelligence reports after reports circulated that Russia was offering rewards to US soldiers in Afghanistan to encourage the Taliban to attack them.
After reports of these rewards emerged, it was revealed that Trump received a written briefing in February, but took no action against Russia.
Biden later criticized the president, saying he does not read his intelligence reports.
Concerns about possible electoral interference have increased in a repeat of the 2016 election.
Multiple US intelligence agencies found that Russia acted to aid Trump in the 2016 election, a charge that Vladmir Putin and other officials have denied. Trump also called the claims a “hoax” created by Democrats.
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