America is "running out of time" to defend itself from foreign interference in the midterm elections and beyond, two former intelligence officials say.
In an opinion piece for The Washington Post posted Wednesday night, former GOP chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Mike Rogers and former deputy director of the National Security Agency Rick Ledgett, wrote it is a "dangerous" misconception the threat of Russian interference ended with the 2016 election.
"[E]veryone should accept Tuesday's warning from the country's top intelligence chiefs that Russia should be expected to do the same when Americans return to the polls in November," they warned.
The pair suggested "four steps" to fight such interference, including a declaration by the Trump administration it will not tolerate any foreign attempt to influence elections; congressional legislation to fix the electoral infrastructure; establishment of an interagency task force; and the use of diplomacy, sanctions, "covert action and military action" to ensure security.
"We are running out of time to defend ourselves from further foreign attempts to influence the vote," the pair wrote.
"Waiting any longer would be an acknowledgment that we are willing to tolerate this national security threat and even permit it to become more dangerous.
"We hope that the Trump administration and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle see these measures as common-sense, apolitical and in the interests of our country."