🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
The White House is reassuring voters that there are no "credible threats" posed to this week's midterm elections amid the latest admission of election interference in the United States from Russian billionaire Yevgeny Prigozhin.
"Law enforcement has briefed us that there are no specific, credible threats identified at this point," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a Monday press conference. She added that President Joe Biden has been updated on the current "threat environment" and that he has ordered steps to "ensure safe and secure voting" on Tuesday.
On the eve of Election Day, Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who has been accused of influencing the outcome of elections across the world, said that he previously interfered with elections in the U.S. and that he would continue to do so in the future.
"Gentlemen, we interfered, we are interfering and we will interfere," Prigozhin said in a statement shared to social media through his catering company's account. "Carefully, accurately, surgically and in our own way, as we know how to do."
His comments come before a crucial midterm election where Democrats and Republicans are neck-in-neck in a number of races that will determine which party controls Congress next year.
As of Monday, election forecaster FiveThirtyEight is projecting the GOP will take back both the House and the Senate, meaning a tough legislative challenge for the second half of Biden's presidency and a ripe climate for former President Donald Trump to announce a 2024 presidential bid. Top Republicans have speculated that the ex-president could announce as early as Monday night that he is running for a second term.
Prigozhin has been accused of sponsoring Russian-based "troll farms" that have been known for meddling in U.S. elections. He was indicted with a dozen other Russian nationals in 2018 as part of then-FBI Director Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election.
In July, the State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on the Russian billionaire in connection to "engagement in U.S. election interference."
Prigozhin, who is one of Russia's most notable pro-war figures, has been sanctioned by the U.S., United Kingdom and European Union.
Russia has previously denied any involvement with U.S. election interference. In his defense, Russian state media RIA Novosti said that Prigozhin's statements about interfering in U.S. elections were made "ironically."
Meanwhile, the billionaire's Monday admission has raised concerns over whether or not he could influence the midterm elections in Russia's favor, especially since Congress has approved millions in aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded the Eastern European country on February 24.
Last month, House Minority Kevin McCarthy told Punchbowl News that the GOP will not write a "blank check" for Ukraine if they win back the House in this year's midterms.
"I think people are gonna be sitting in a recession and they're not going to write a blank check to Ukraine," McCarthy said. "Ukraine is important, but at the same time it can't be the only thing they do, and it can't be a blank check." McCarthy added that record-high inflation could make people reconsider supporting efforts to send more aid.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for further comment.
Update 11/7/2022, 4:20 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include additional information.
About the writer
Katherine Fung is a Newsweek senior reporter based in New York City. She has covered U.S. politics and culture extensively. ... Read more