President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday creating a framework for imposing sanctions on foreigners who seek to influence U.S. elections.
“This is intended to be a very broad effort to prevent foreign manipulation of the political process,” national security adviser John Bolton told reporters on a conference call.
The executive order allows sanctions without congressional action against foreign nations, organizations, and individuals seeking to influence elections.
“It is not limited to election infrastructure, it relates to much broader efforts at propaganda and other ways that can interfere with the political process,” Bolton said.
[Read: Top US officials warn of ‘pervasive’ Russian meddling in midterm elections, 2020 cycle]
Under the order, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will have 45 days to investigate incidents of foreign intervention, with the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security then having 45 days to confirm findings.
Bolton said the 90-day investigatory process can be expedited.
The order requires the State Department and the Treasury Department to formulate sanctions that would be imposed against foreigners or foreign nations, with possible calibration based on the severity of offenses.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the framework will serve as deterrence, and that “what we see is ongoing capabilities and attempts” to influence U.S. politics, including from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. He did not elaborate or clarify that point.
“This executive order authorizes development and application of sanctions against any individual, any entity or country that authorizes, directs, sponsors, or otherwise supports interference in a U.S. election. So it’s pretty broad,” Coats said.
Bolton said that the executive order had “zero” to do with a public perception that Trump is overly deferential to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is accused of interfering in the 2016 election to help Trump win.
If the framework is utilized, Bolton said the public probably won’t know until sanctions are imposed.
“A lot of this information comes from very sensitive sources and methods. This isn’t a public rulemaking process,” he said.
