Insists Hacking Had ‘Absolutely No Effect on the Outcome of the Election’
President-elect Donald Trump after a two-hour long briefing with U.S. intelligence officials issued a statement that conceded only the possibility that Russia had hacked a variety of American targets, including the Democratic National Committee.
“While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyberinfrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election including the fact that there was no tampering whatsoever with voting machines,†Trump said.
The New York Times reports “President-elect Donald J. Trump acknowledged the possibility on Friday that Russia had hacked a variety of American targets, including the Democratic National Committee.”
The president-elect has consistently downplayed evidence of Russian hacking during the election, saying the motivation was political to undercut the legitimacy of his election.
“They got beaten very badly in the election. I won more counties in the election than Ronald Reagan,†Trump told The New York Times in a phone call Friday prior to the briefing. “They are very embarrassed about it. To some extent, it’s a witch hunt. They just focus on this.â€
In the U.S. intelligence report, officials credited Russian President Vladimir Putin with ordering the hacking campaign.Â
“Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary [Hillary] Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency,” the intelligence report reads. “We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump.”
It is unclear that Trump’s claim that the hacking had “absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election” is in the intelligence report.Â
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