Security News > 2020 > September > As Trump Holds Back, Tech Firms Step in on Election Security
Two years later, Schiff says that breakdown is still emblematic of the disjointed effort among government agencies, Congress and private companies as they try to identify and address foreign election interference.
With President Donald Trump adamant that Russia is not interfering and his administration often trying to block what Congress learns about election threats, it's those private companies that often are being called upon to fill the breach.
The current director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, a close Trump ally, tried to end most in-person election security briefings - a decision he later reversed after criticism from lawmakers from both parties.
At a hearing with tech companies in June, Schiff pressed Google, saying that it "Has essentially adopted a strategy of keeping its head down and avoiding attention to its platform while others draw heat."
Today, Burt says the company gives federal and congressional authorities a heads-up when they have announcements about election interference.