Trump Blames Democrats For “Ridiculous” Russia Hacking Report
ZeroHedge.com
Speaking to Fox News’ Chris Wallace on Sunday morning, the President-elect blasted the Friday night Wapo report that a secret CIA assessment concluded Russia intervened in the U.S. presidential election to help him win the presidency.
“I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s just another excuse. I don’t believe it,” the president-elect said in an interview that aired Sunday on Fox News Sunday. “I don’t know why and I think it’s just — you know, they talked about all sorts of things.”
“Every week it’s another excuse. We had a massive landslide victory, as you know, in the Electoral College,” referring to his 306-232 edge.
“If you look at the story and you take a look at what they said, there’s great confusion. Nobody really knows, and hacking is very interesting,” Trump said. “Once they hack if you don’t catch them in the act you’re not going to catch them. They have no idea if it’s Russia or China or somebody. It could be somebody sitting in a bed some place. I mean, they have no idea.”
He blamed Democrats for putting out the media reports and said he did not believe they came from the Central Intelligence Agency. “I think the Democrats are putting it out,” he said in the interview. When asked if he thinks the CIA is trying to overturn the election results, Trump said during the Fox News interview he doesn’t think “they’re saying anything.”
Trump went so far as to asset that Democrats are upset “because they suffered one of the greatest defeats in the history of politics in this country.” Later, he told Wallace that those leaks “could be” politically motivated because “they’re very embarrassed.”
Shortly before the interview with Trump aired on Sunday, a bipartisan group of senators described the Russia interference reports as serious.
“For years, foreign adversaries have directed cyberattacks at America’s physical, economic, and military infrastructure, while stealing our intellectual property. Now our democratic institutions have been targeted. Recent reports of Russian interference in our election should alarm every American,” Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; and Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in a statement.
“… Democrats and Republicans must work together, and across the jurisdictional lines of the Congress, to examine these recent incidents thoroughly and devise comprehensive solutions to deter and defend against further cyberattacks. This cannot become a partisan issue. The stakes are too high for our country.”
The source of the anonymous information given to the Post, Trump said: Democrats upset “because they suffered one of the greatest defeats in the history of politics in this country.” Later, he told Wallace that those leaks “could be” politically motivated because “they’re very embarrassed.”
Meanwhile, just one day after the Senate passed the “Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act“, President Barack Obama ordered a “deep dive” into the cyberattacks, which targeted Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta and the Democratic National Committee, among other victims. The president has asked for a final report before he leaves office next month, and Trump on Sunday endorsed Obama’s effort to get to the bottom of the hacking that plagued the 2016 election.
“I want it, too. I think it’s great. I think — well, I don’t want anyone hacking us, and I’m not only talking about countries. I’m talking about anyone, period,” Trump said of the investigation ordered by Obama. “But if you’re going to do that, I think you should not just say ‘Russia.’ You should say other countries also, and maybe other individuals.”
Trump’s full interview below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ND8IMjwxes