Donald Trump's Order to Counter Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, signed an order on Wednesday, September 12, to protect the United States from foreign interference in its elections. Reuters reported statements from John Bolton, the U.S. National Security Advisor, at a press conference that provided details about this order. According to him, Trump's new order emphasizes sanctions against countries and entities attempting to interfere in U.S. elections. The order stipulates that the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury will decide on sanctions and their implementation. Bolton also stated that the sanctions would include the seizure of assets, restricting access to U.S. economic institutions, and prohibiting American citizens from trading with involved companies. Donald Trump is facing criticism from opponents who say he does not take the threats to U.S. elections seriously enough and especially does not believe in Russia's role in the previous presidential election. However, Bolton stated in his remarks on Wednesday that the signing of this order shows that the U.S. President prioritizes the security of the country's elections. He added that the new presidential order would neutralize espionage campaigns or any attempts to interfere in the election results. According to a report by the Associated Press, Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence, also accompanied Bolton at the press conference. Coats stated that the United States currently does not see signs of Russian interference in its elections as severe as it did in the previous election, but does not consider the matter resolved. He also mentioned that the United States is concerned about cyber activities from China, North Korea, and Iran. In the last days of August this year, Facebook and Twitter announced the blocking of hundreds of pages and accounts related to Iran. Reports indicated that this action followed the release of a report from the cybersecurity company FireEye. FireEye stated that the network associated with Iranian state media was engaged in propaganda activities against Saudi Arabia, Israel, and supported Palestinians and the nuclear agreement.