FBI 'aware' of 2 fake videos related to the election

WASHINGTON -- The FBI said it is "aware" of two fake videos claiming to be from the agency and related to the 2024 election.

The first video, according to the FBI, falsely said the agency apprehended three groups committing ballot fraud and the second pertains to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. Both are fake, the FBI said.

"Attempts to deceive the public with false content about FBI operations undermines our democratic process and aims to erode trust in the electoral system," the FBI says. "The FBI encourages everyone to seek election and voting information from reliable sources, such as your local election office. And if you suspect criminal activity, we ask that you report that information to state or local law enforcement or your local FBI field office."

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Fake videos are often the work of foreign actors - and in particular, Russia, China and Iran, the intelligence community has assessed. The FBI does not say if the videos have a foreign nexus, however.

Just yesterday, the intelligence community said that a video purporting to show Haitian migrants on the way to vote in Georgia was a Russian influence operation.

"We have to understand what these adversaries want," CISA Director Jen Easterly told ABC News' Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas in an interview on Thursday. "They all want just two things. They want to undermine American confidence in our elections and trust in democracy, and they want to stoke partisan discord. They want to pit Americans against each other, and they are looking for any opportunities to create rage, and we know that enragement equals engagement."