National Security Adviser John Bolton told ABC News’ Martha Raddatz on Sunday that there’s “sufficient national security concern” that China, Iran and North Korea will meddle in the 2018 US midterm elections - not just Russia.
Raddatz, who famously got into an argument with then-candidate Trump during a Presidential debate she was supposed to be moderating, and then cried on election night when Trump won, asked Bolton if he had seen any credible evidence of Chinese meddling in past elections, or if they are doing so now.
Raddatz: Just to be clear, have you seen any credible evidence that the Chinese meddled in our elections in the past or are doing so now? Is this a genuine national security concern?
Bolton: I can say definitively that it’s a sufficient national security concern about Chinese meddling, Iranian meddling and North Korean meddling that we’re taking steps to try and prevent. So, it’s all four of those countries.
Raddatz: Have you seen anything in the past, specifically to China?
Bolton: I’m not going to get into what I’ve seen or haven’t seen, but I’m telling you that looking at the 2018 election, those are the four countries that we’re most concerned about.
National security adviser John Bolton says in addition to Russia, there's "sufficient national security concern" that China, Iran, and North Korea are meddling in the 2018 U.S. elections.
"Those are the four countries that we're most concerned about" https://t.co/eBBTjBqwmI pic.twitter.com/Sxm4mFvMF3
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 19, 2018
Bolton also confirmed that the United States would conduct “offensive cyber-operations” in response to election meddling, and that the US would use the “full range” of its cyber capabilities to protect “not just the elections, but a range of vulnerarble systems” across the country.
On Saturday, President Trump tweeted that DOJ investigators looking into Russian meddling “should also start looking” at China.
“All of the fools that are so focused on looking only at Russia should start also looking in another direction, China,” Trump tweeted. “But in the end, if we are smart, tough and well prepared, we will get along with everyone!”
All of the fools that are so focused on looking only at Russia should start also looking in another direction, China. But in the end, if we are smart, tough and well prepared, we will get along with everyone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2018
