China-linked hackers reportedly targeted Donald Trump’s family in a sophisticated operation ahead of the upcoming election, prompting a high-level investigation by U.S. authorities. The breach, which initially involved former President Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance, now appears to have extended to Eric Trump and Jared Kushner, escalating concerns about potential Chinese influence on U.S. political figures.
The breach, initially detected two weeks ago, led FBI investigators to launch an in-depth examination. The New York Times reported that the hackers accessed sensitive communication data from personal phones belonging to Trump and Vance.
Alarmingly, it now appears the attackers went further, accessing Eric Trump’s and Kushner’s devices, broadening the scope of the investigation.
If China successfully accessed such information, it would potentially enable Chinese intelligence services to identify key individuals for influence campaigns, gaining insight into Trump’s inner circle. According to intelligence sources, fewer than 100 individuals have been targeted in what is described as an elaborate and highly targeted breach.
Members of Kamala Harris’s campaign team, other U.S. government officials, and policy experts are also reportedly on the target list, along with an aide to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The hackers allegedly managed to infiltrate telecommunications systems used by U.S. networks, exploiting vulnerabilities in the infrastructure. The FBI believes that audio communications might have been intercepted, and some unencrypted text messages and call logs were likely accessible on certain devices.
While it remains uncertain if encrypted messaging services were compromised, U.S. intelligence officials have continued to monitor any data potentially accessible to the hackers.
Eric Trump condemned the security breach, attributing it to President Biden’s administration. “Does this surprise anyone? Under Kamala and Biden, China has walked all over our country,” he told The New York Times, reflecting frustration within Trump’s camp over what they view as a weak stance on China.
This aligns with statements from a Trump campaign spokesperson who previously accused Democrats of doing everything possible to prevent Trump from returning to the White House.
At the time of the breach, the Trump campaign was notified that the Verizon phone network had been compromised. The intrusion raises the potential exposure of personal information linked to Trump, his family, his running mate, and other affiliates in and outside the U.S. government.
U.S. authorities hold the Chinese government responsible for the security breach, with cybersecurity experts pointing to a group known as Salt Typhoon. This collective, associated with sophisticated cyber espionage on behalf of Chinese intelligence, has previously been implicated in attempts to access U.S. telecommunications infrastructure. Earlier this year, Salt Typhoon was linked to a breach involving telecom systems in the United States, making them a prime suspect in this recent operation.
Investigators recently discovered that specific phone numbers were targeted, though details of the exact communication content accessed are still under review. While they have not confirmed if the hackers read messages, especially those transmitted through encrypted applications, the breadth of the operation raises serious concerns for U.S. intelligence.
Salt Typhoon’s reputation for complex, stealthy cyber operations aligns with the techniques used in this attack, pointing to a high-level, coordinated attempt at foreign influence.
The Trump campaign has not directly addressed the reported breaches against the presidential nominee or his running mate. Nonetheless, Trump allies are increasingly vocal in demanding a stronger response from the Biden administration.
