Chinese hackers tried to hack former President Donald Trump’s and GOP vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance’s cellphones by exploiting vulnerabilities in the U.S, telecommunications networks, according to national security sources cited by the New York Times. The Chinese hackers also targeted other current and former government officials.
The advanced hacking operation specifically targeted Verizon and might have accessed data or messages that were exchanged between Trump, 78, and Vance, 40, those familiar with the matter shared. The New York Times reported that the Trump campaign was notified earlier this week of a security breach that involved the cell phone numbers of the Republican presidential nominee and his vice-presidential candidate.
China Hacking Phones
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The breach is believed to have been part of an attempt to infiltrate Verizon’s phone systems. Investigators are currently examining whether any data was compromised in the hack involving phones used by politicians and government employees.
This incident represents yet another case of foreign actors attempting unauthorized interference in U.S. elections.
Late last month, the Justice Department filed charges against Iranian hackers for breaching Trump’s campaign with the goal of influencing the election. Even details on whom Trump and Vance were calling or texting could prove valuable, whether or not it revealed actual message content.
Such information could enable further hacking attempts on their contacts and provide insights into their inner circles. This election cycle has already seen reports that Trump and key ally Elon Musk have been in communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the political significance of certain connections.
Officials say that the Trump campaign was notified of the breach this week. Trump, known for regularly using his cellphone (though he reportedly doesn’t text), often shares hints about the prominent figures he’s been in touch with.
Recently, he mentioned a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
US China Relations Deteriorate
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During the 2016 campaign, Trump famously addressed Russian hacking, saying, “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.”
Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller noted that around this time, Russian operatives launched spearfishing attacks on email accounts connected to Clinton. That election cycle saw several leaks of hacked materials on WikiLeaks.
In a report from late last month, the Wall Street Journal revealed that hackers linked to Beijing had breached multiple internet service providers in an operation called “Salt Typhoon” by investigators. U.S.-China relations have been tense for years.
Trump imposed tariffs on China, which President Joe Biden has kept in place.
Meanwhile, China has maintained strong ties with Russia, even during the Ukraine conflict. Tensions heightened further with the Chinese spy balloon incident, which stirred controversy as it traversed the United States.