X removes more than 13,000 accounts linked to foreign influence operations ahead of U.S. midterms
On Oct. 15, 2026, X, the social‑media platform owned by Elon Musk, said it had removed more than 13,000 accounts that were part of three suspected foreign‑influence operations linked to Iran, Russia and China.
The accounts were alleged to have used fake profiles to publish and amplify political content aimed at U.S. candidates and public figures across the political spectrum. X identified the networks through proactive monitoring and investigations by its Safety team, but did not disclose how many accounts were associated with each country or which American candidates were targeted.
The suspensions come less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, when voters will choose all 435 members of the House of Representatives, about one‑third of the Senate, and numerous state and local officials. X said the action reflects its election‑related enforcement program, which builds on year‑round safety measures and its rules against coordinated inauthentic behavior.
"Whether it is spam networks or entities engaged in influence operations, we are actively working to identify and stop coordinated inauthentic behavior that undermines the integrity of our platform," the company said in a statement. Under its Civic Integrity Policy, X also addresses misleading information about voting logistics and discourages deceptive efforts to suppress participation. Users can report suspected violations through a process that routes submissions to Community Notes, which can add context to posts, and X may apply warning labels in serious cases.
The announcement coincided with heightened activity from the U.S. Justice Department, which on Oct. 12 announced charges against 16 individuals in unrelated election‑integrity cases. A Justice Department spokesperson told reporters on Oct. 15 that the agency would not confirm or deny whether it was investigating the foreign‑influence networks disclosed by X, reaffirming its commitment to keep elections free from foreign interference.
Earlier in 2024, X disclosed a separate effort that identified approximately 200,000 suspected Chinese bot accounts, and Microsoft reported Chinese actors impersonating U.S. voters in political conversations. Researchers at the Communication University of China also published a simulation study exploring how artificial‑intelligence‑generated voter personas might be exposed to political debate content, though no direct link to the current X suspensions has been established.
As the midterm campaign intensifies, X says it will continue to enforce its policies and work with users to preserve a trustworthy online environment for political discourse.
