Report: Roger Stone’s Email Hacked by Alleged Iranian Attack on Trump Campaign

Roger Stone, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, has reportedly had his email account breached as part of an alleged hacking attempt by Iranian operatives targeting Trump’s 2024 campaign. The breach is one of several suspected cyberattacks aimed at infiltrating campaign networks, according to The Daily Beast.

Stone, known for his controversial political tactics dating back to the Nixon era, was reportedly duped by an espionage unit that accessed his email. The hackers then allegedly used Stone’s account in an attempt to gain entry into another email account belonging to a senior Trump campaign official. The FBI is now investigating these efforts as part of a broader probe into foreign interference.

FBI and Microsoft Detect Iranian Cyber Activity

The breach occurred in June and was detected by Microsoft, which alerted the FBI. Stone was informed that a “Foreign State Actor” had compromised his account. According to reports, the hackers aimed to send a malicious link from Stone’s email to Trump campaign officials. If clicked, the link would have given the hackers access to the recipient’s computer, potentially compromising sensitive campaign information.

Stone, who was convicted in 2019 on multiple felony charges related to lying about his efforts to obtain information from WikiLeaks, was later pardoned by Trump. In response to the hacking, Stone stated, “I was informed by the authorities that a couple of my personal email accounts have been compromised. I really don’t know more about it. And I’m cooperating. It’s all very strange.”

Broader Implications for Both Parties

This attack is part of a broader pattern of cyber threats targeting both political parties. The FBI also briefed the Biden-Harris campaign in June about Iranian hackers attempting to breach their systems. While three campaign staffers received spear-phishing emails, there is no evidence yet that these attacks were successful.

“Our campaign vigilantly monitors and protects against cyber threats, and we are not aware of any security breaches of our systems,” a Harris campaign official told CNN.

Trump Campaign’s Response

Trump’s campaign has acknowledged the hacking attempts, especially after media organizations reported receiving a vetting document on Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. The campaign claims that these documents were illegally obtained by foreign actors hostile to the United States, aiming to disrupt the 2024 election.

Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, referred to a Microsoft report that highlighted Iranian efforts to access the email account of a “high-ranking official” in a presidential campaign in June. Microsoft noted that Iranian operations, unlike Russian campaigns, tend to focus more on election conduct rather than swaying voters, particularly in the later stages of the election season.

Denials from Iran

The Iranian government has denied any involvement in the hacking attempts. A spokesperson for Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations dismissed the allegations, stating, “The Iranian Government neither possesses nor harbors any intent or motive to interfere in the United States presidential election.”

While the U.S. government has not officially accused Iran, the ongoing investigation continues to explore the extent of foreign interference in the 2024 election.