NPR

What Does Julian Assange's Arrest Mean For WikiLeaks And U.S. Elections?

Julian Assange probably won't have access to his laptop computer for a while, but that may not mean that the organization he created won't still release secrets and, potentially, affect elections.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange makes his way into the Westminster Magistrates' Court after being arrested April 11 in London.

What does the arrest of Julian Assange mean for the role that WikiLeaks might play in future election interference targeting the United States?

National security officials say they're confident that foreign activity will continue through 2020, but no one knows how familiar it may look, how much it may evolve — or whether a WikiLeaks without Assange could play a similar role.

The answer, cyber-observers say, is probably yes ... but.

"WikiLeaks does have a

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
Pro-Palestinian Campus Protesters Face Looming Deadlines And Risk Of Arrest
Hundreds of students have been arrested for participating in pro-Palestinian protests in recent days. And some schools, like Columbia and GW, have given them deadlines to dismantle their encampments.
NPR3 min readAmerican Government
Trump's Immunity Arguments And The Experiences Of The Justices Who Might Support It
Five of the six conservatives spent much of their lives in the Beltway, working in the White House and Justice Department, seeing their administrations as targets of unfair harassment by Democrats.
NPR4 min read
Taylor Swift Fans Mean Business With Tortured Poets Soap, Eras Yarn, Kelce Cookies
Entrepreneurial Swifties are selling crafty products inspired by Taylor Swift's music and style. Swift herself has been known to send notes and even homemade gifts to creative super-fans.

Related Books & Audiobooks