WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia is working to undermine November U.S. congressional elections as well as the presidential election in 2020, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said on Thursday.


“The intelligence community continues to be concerned about the threats to upcoming U.S. elections, both the midterms and the presidential election in 2020,” Coats said at a White House briefing with other intelligence agency leaders.

The illegal activity includes criminal efforts to suppress voting and provide illegal campaign financing, cyber attacks against voting infrastructure along with computer intrusions targeting elected officials and others, U.S. officials said.

“In regards to Russian involvement in the midterm elections, we continue to see a pervasive messaging campaign by Russia to try to weaken and divide the United States,” Coats added. “We will continue to monitor and warn of any such efforts.”

The FBI has open investigations into election interference, FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the briefing.

“We also know the Russians tried to hack into and steal information from candidates and government officials alike,” Coats said.

He said Russia was not the only country working to undermine American elections.

A federal special counsel is leading a criminal investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and any possible cooperation with President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Coats and Wray appeared at the White House press briefing to give an overview of Trump administration efforts to guarantee election security, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and National Security Agency director Paul Nakasone.

Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by David Gregorio