US Intelligence Chief Creates Position To Monitor Cyber Election Threats

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2019) A new position to monitor foreign meddling in US elections has been created to build on successful efforts at protecting the 2018 midterm polls from hackers, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats announced in a press release on Friday.

"The ETE [Election Threats Executive] will serve as the DNI's principal adviser on threats to elections and matters related to election security," Coats said. "Additionally, the ETE will coordinate and integrate all election security activities, initiatives, and programs across the IC [intelligence community] and synchronize intelligence efforts in support of the broader US government."

Coats named career intelligence operative Shelby Pierson to the new post. Pierson served as Crisis Manager for Election Security during the 2018 US midterm elections.

"Election security is an enduring challenge and a top priority for the IC," Coats said. "In order to build on our successful approach to the 2018 elections, the IC must properly align its resources to bring the strongest level of support to this critical issue."

Reports of foreign meddling, which dominated US media following the 2016 presidential election, all but disappeared in midterm elections two years later.

Without a presidential race, however, the midterm polls were likely considered a relatively minor event from the perspective of US adversaries. But with the presidency at stake in the 2020 election, lawmakers and political pundits are already warning of a full court press by hackers.