State Department Official Asked About Report Israel Is Trying To Influence American Politics

2 months ago

At a State Department press briefing on Wednesday, Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel was asked about Israel.

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Transcript

00:00One quick one.

00:01Sorry.

00:03Thank you, everyone.

00:04With the 2024 election around the corner, how has the U.S. followed up on the reporting

00:07– I believe a month and a half ago-ish, forgive me if I'm wrong – of Israeli Government-sponsored

00:12influence campaigns attempting to influence American politics?

00:14MR RATHKE.

00:15So I'm not aware of – I'm not aware of this report specifically.

00:19I'm sure it was previously –

00:20QUESTION.

00:21The New York Times reporting?

00:22The New York Times reporting?

00:23MR RATHKE.

00:24Right, right.

00:25Sorry.

00:26Sorry.

00:27No, I understand what you're speaking to.

00:28I understand that the U.S. entity is aware of U.S. laws and the confines in which they

00:33should or should not be allowed to operate in the United States.

00:36When it comes to disinformation and things targeted at the United States, I will say

00:41that that is not necessarily something that lives in this department, and I am happy – I'm

00:47sure my colleagues at the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security would

00:51be happy to talk to you about efforts that are underway as it relates to election integrity

00:56and things like that, including the Office of the ODNI.

00:59Are there any other nations who receive billions of dollars from the United States that are

01:03alleged to conduct such foreign influence campaigns?

01:05So I'm just not going to speculate on what was a non-government assessment report cited

01:10in that reporting, but I'm happy – I am sure that these other entities who deal on

01:14this very important issue would be happy to speak to you in greater detail.

01:17Go ahead.

State Department Official Asked About Report Israel Is Trying To Influence American Politics

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