Two senior Democrats overseeing U.S. intelligence committees are seeking a classified election briefing before Nov. 3, saying they are preparing for President Donald Trump to allege foreign interference in the midterm elections.
Rep. Jim Himes, ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, asked Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton for an update by Oct. 31. In their Oct. 2 letter, they said one required report had arrived, while other required material remained outstanding. The deadline is their request; the letter does not confirm that a briefing has been scheduled.
The lawmakers also asked officials to alert their committees as threats emerge and to notify them immediately of attacks or attempts to interfere with or influence an election. Federal law requires an analysis of election-system vulnerabilities and foreign threats 180 days ahead of a regularly scheduled federal election, followed by an updated threat assessment 90 days before voting.
After a classified briefing, Himes and Warner described Russian misinformation aimed at Democrats. Himes said he saw no indication that a foreign country had the capability or intent to interfere with election systems or change results. The underlying intelligence assessment has not been made public. The Record reported that the alleged effort targeted the Democratic Party and sought to weaken voter confidence. Reuters reported that Himes’ account of the briefing referred to Russian online campaigns tracked during the 2016, 2020 and 2024 U.S. elections.
Himes told NPR, “We start with the premise that the president is going to do that. It would be irresponsible not to.” Warner told NPR that more than 75 groups regularly convene as part of a broader election-integrity effort. NPR also reported that White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said the administration was prosecuting election crimes and working to secure election infrastructure and protect voters from fraud and coercion.
The Federal Election Commission lists Nov. 3, 2026, as the next regularly scheduled federal general election. The lawmakers requested their intelligence update by Oct. 31.
