Will There Be Meddling in the Midterms?

This episode unpacks the ongoing threat of influence and interference operations posed by Russia, China, and Iran as the 2026 U.S. midterm elections approach.

Host:

James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR

Guest:

Jessica Brandt, Senior Fellow for Technology and National Security, CFR, and former director of the Foreign Malign Influence Center at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence

We Discuss:

The difference between foreign “influence” operations and “interference” operations, and why the distinction matters.

How Russia, China, and Iran run influence campaigns, from troll farms to the corruption of influential Americans.

Why the intelligence community assesses that no foreign adversary could alter a U.S. vote count “at scale” without detection.

What the Tenet Media case revealed about Russia’s ability to covertly fund American influencers.

What President Donald Trump has claimed about Chinese interference in 2020 and what the evidence actually shows.

How the federal government’s influence-defense apparatus has been scaled back or stood down after being built up through 2024.