Mike Pompeo offers US$10 million reward over US election interference

A woman fills out her ballot in Missouri's primary election on Aug 4, 2020, in St Louis, Missouri. PHOTO: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday (Aug 5) the United States would offer a US$10 million (S$13 million) reward to arrest any state actor who interferes in the November elections.

US intelligence has said that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to support Donald Trump, especially though manipulation of social media.

The United States "is offering a reward of up to US$10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, interferes with US elections," Pompeo told reporters.

He did not specify Russia but US intelligence has previously said it expected another effort by Moscow as well as other US adversaries.

Trump has scoffed at the US intelligence findings, notoriously at a joint news conference in 2018 appearing to take President Vladimir Putin's denials of election meddling at face value.

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