US ‘is under attack,’ intel chiefs say

WASHINGTON – The nation’s top intelligence officials said Tuesday that Russia is targeting the 2018 elections as it seeks to undermine America’s political process and sow partisan division with cyberattacks and other digital disruption.

“Frankly, the United States is under attack,” Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee, adding that Russia is attempting to “degrade our democratic values and weaken our alliances.”

In unequivocal language, Coats said Russia President Vladimir Putin has been emboldened by Russia’s successful interference in the 2016 presidential elections and is targeting the midterms.

“There should be no doubt that (Putin) views the past effort as successful,” said Coats, who was joined Tuesday by the nation’s other top intelligence officials, including CIA Director Mike Pompeo, National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The national intelligence director’s comments come against the backdrop of continuing congressional and criminal investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and whether the Kremlin coordinated its activities with President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Although Trump has repeatedly wavered on Russia’s involvement and declined to call out Putin, Coats and the other officials Tuesday affirmed a 2016 assessment of the entire intelligence community which concluded that Russia interfered in the election and has not relented in a strategy to undermine future elections.

Coats said Russia’s cyber program remains a favored asset for the Kremlin because it is “cheap” and has been proven effective in “sowing division.”

Yet when asked whether Trump has specifically directed efforts to counter the Russia threat, some of the intelligence chiefs demurred.