A organization focused on establishing the foundations for a potential future administration under Donald Trump has reported that its computer systems were compromised, marking the second known cyberattack aimed at individuals affiliated with the former president.
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) revealed the security breach last week but did not disclose any information regarding the specific materials that may have been affected.
Marc Lotter, the chief communications officer for the group, expressed in a statement, “Given our position as a leading policy group within the America First movement, it’s expected that adversarial foreign entities would attempt to breach our IT systems.” He continued, highlighting that the methods used in this attack resembled those typical of state-sponsored threats, which allowed for a swift remediation response.
AFPI is among several organizations that formed following Trump’s presidency to help prepare for a potential new Republican administration. The group has been actively publishing policy recommendations and drafting executive orders along with legislation that Trump could consider if he returns to political office.
The institute is headed by Brooke Rollins, a former leader of Trump’s Domestic Policy Council, who is anticipated to vie for a significant position should Trump campaign successfully in the future. Additionally, Linda McMahon, the former administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term, serves as a co-chair of the transition team.
This latest breach follows previously reported incidents involving Iranian hackers targeting Trump’s campaign and the email accounts of his supporters, where stolen materials were implicated. To date, three individuals connected to Iran have been indicted for their role in the cyber assault.
The FBI has not issued any comments regarding the recent breach.
The initial report of this incident was made by a news outlet.