WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence officials believe that Russia is using a variety of measures to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden ahead of the November election and that individuals linked to the Kremlin are boosting President Donald Trump’s reelection bid.
That's according to a rare public statement Friday from the country's counterintelligence chief, William Evanina.
The statement also says that U.S. officials assess that China prefers that Trump not win a second term and that Beijing has accelerated its criticism of the president and its efforts to shape American opinion and public policy.
Evanina's statement also links Moscow’s disapproval of Biden to his role in shaping Obama administration policies supporting Ukraine, an important U.S. ally, and opposing Russian leader Vladimir Putin. That assertion conflicts with the narrative advanced by Trump, who has made unsubstantiated claims that Biden’s actions in Ukraine were intended to help the business interests of his son, Hunter.
