The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a declassified version of a classified report that assesses Russia’s tampering with the result of the 2016 presidential election. This report came on the same day that Trump explained that the United States will build the “Great Wall” between the United States and Mexico, and that Mexico will simply pay the United States back for it later.
Donald Trump was briefed on the explosive situation Friday by National Intelligence Director James Clapper, National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers, FBI Director James Comey, and CIA Director John Brennan. After becoming full immersed in the topic of Russia’s hacking and tampering with the election Donald Trump and his team released a statement:
The above is an excerpt of Trump’s statement and the full statement can be read by clicking here.
The report itself says that it is unclear whether or not Russia was successful in there interference with the outcome of the election, but that the FBI, CIA, and NSA can all “assess Russian President Vladmir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump.”
It should be noted however, that Donald Trump stated to the New York Times just a few hours before he acknowledged Russian hacking that the claims of were just a “political witch hunt.” Trump said that the entire reason for questions of hacking were because people were jealous and mad at Trump for winning the election: “They got beaten very badly in the election. I won more counties in the election than Ronald Reagan. They are very embarrassed about it. To some extent, it’s a witch hunt. They just focus on this.”
Per usual, Donald Trump tweeted on the situation Tuesday claiming that it was “Very strange!” that the briefing on Russian hacking was not going to occur until Friday.
The "Intelligence" briefing on so-called "Russian hacking" was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
Donald Trump also tweeted on Wednesday that Wiki-Leaks’ Julian Assange says that a 14-year-old could have hacked Podesta and that the DNC was reckless and that is the only reason Russia could have hacked the DNC. Trump also added that Russians did not supply Assange with any information at the end of his tweet.
Julian Assange said "a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta" – why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
Even with the declassified report having been released to all of the American republic, it seems that from their history, Trump and his team will continue to try to deny Russian interference through some avant-garde explanation.
The declassified report is available for viewing here.
