Did Trump Anticipate 2020? 2018 Executive Order Gave President Wide Powers in Dealing with Propaganda and Disinformation in Foreign Election Interference

Headlines Politics U.S.

In 2018 President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring foreign interference in U.S. elections “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

The EO defined interference as the ability to “interfere in or undermine public confidence in United States elections, including through the unauthorized accessing of election and campaign infrastructure or the covert distribution of propaganda and disinformation…”

The order instructs the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with any other federal agency deemed necessary to be included, to conduct an assessment of any information indicating election interference within 45 days of an election.

Importantly, it gives the federal government the authority to seize any properties of any person(s) found to be engaged in foreign election interference.

You can read the order in its entirety here.

Photo by The White House 

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