Foreign Adversaries Escalate Covert Actions Against U.S.

Foreign adversaries are increasingly conducting covert operations against the United States, expanding beyond disinformation to include cyberattacks, physical threats, and targeted plots on US soil. These campaigns take advantage of political polarization, technological vulnerabilities, and public sentiment to undermine confidence in democratic institutions and influence public opinion. State and non-state actors utilize sophisticated tools such as social media manipulation, deep fakes, and online personas to amplify their efforts, often with unwitting assistance from individuals and public figures. This evolving threat landscape poses a persistent risk to US national security, shaping policy debates, eroding trust, and straining diplomatic relations.