Official U.S. government statements or reports from the Department of Justice or similar agencies

Chinese Hackers Breach Verizon, Target Phones of Trump, Vance, and Harris Campaign

Oct 25, 2024, 07:00 PM

Chinese government-linked hackers are believed to have targeted phones used by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, through a breach of Verizon systems, according to people familiar with the matter reported on Friday. The Trump campaign was informed this week that hackers may have gained access to data from the phones via the compromised American telecommunications networks. Investigators are working to determine what communications data, if any, was compromised in the cyber-espionage effort, which appears to be part of a broader intelligence-gathering operation aimed at high-level U.S. targets. The hackers, thought to have burrowed deep into U.S. communications networks, are also believed to be linked to the Chinese government. They also targeted phones associated with Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign and a Wall Street Journal reporter. Authorities are investigating the extent of the breach, raising concerns about national security ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.