New elex meddling is feared

Top Trump administration officials issued a stark warning Thursday about efforts to interfere in the upcoming American election — and sought to assure voters they are doing all they can to combat the threat.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats plainly stated that Russian efforts to interfere in the midterm elections are ongoing and pervasive.

“Our focus here today is to simply tell the American people we acknowledge the threat, it is real, it is continuing and we're doing everything we can to have a legitimate election that the American people can have trust in,” Coats said during a White House briefing.

National security adviser John Bolton, meanwhile, applauded President Trump, who has repeatedly cast doubt on Russia's involvement in election-meddling.

Bolton praised the President, saying he has directed a "vast, government-wide effort" to protect U.S. elections after the Kremlin's interferece in the 2016 presidential contest.

“I think it's important that we address the President's involvement in this,” he added.

Bolton and Coats were joined by FBI director Christopher Wray, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and National Security Agency director Gen. Paul Nakasone as they tried to stress that they are doing everything in their power to address the threat.

“We're throwing everything at it,” Coats said.

In a letter to Senate Democrats Thursday, Bolton wrote: “President Trump has not and will not tolerate interference in America's system of representative government.”

The warning to American adversaries came as top U.S. intelligence and homeland security officials raised alarms about potential efforts to influence the 2018 and 2020 elections.

“Our democracy is in the crosshairs,” Nielsen said.

Facebook disclosed earlier this week that it had removed 32 pages and accounts liked to a coordinated political influence campaign.