According to two senior law enforcement sources who spoke to NBC News, the FBI recently informed Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be the bureau’s next director, that he was the victim of an Iranian cyberattack.
Although the precise date of the cyberattack is unknown, the authorities stated that it occurred prior to Trump appointing Patel as his successor as FBI director.
Some of Patel’s communications are thought to have been targeted by the hackers. According to the sources, it’s unclear if they truly had access to the messages and, if so, how much information was stolen or viewed.
Regarding the continuing investigation, the FBI chose not to comment.
For Patel to take over the role, which requires Senate confirmation, current FBI Director Christopher Wray would need to step down or be fired; Wray’s 10-year term doesn’t end until 2027.
According to a statement released by Trump transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer, “Kash Patel was a key part of the first Trump administration’s efforts against the terrorist Iranian regime and will implement President Trump’s policies to protect America from adversaries as the FBI Director.” However, Pfeiffer did not specifically acknowledge the alleged cyberattack.
In September, three Iranian agents were accused of hacking Trump’s presidential campaign in what the Justice Department claimed at the time was an attempt to sabotage the U.S. election.
The three suspects were accused of taking emails and documents and sharing them with media outlets while they were working for Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According to officials, there was no proof that any of the recipients replied to the FBI’s and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies’ confirmation at the time that Iranian hackers had sent unsolicited information they had stolen from the Trump campaign to individuals connected to President Joe Biden’s campaign during the summer.
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