WH attempts to clarify Trump response
President seemed to deny ongoing meddling by Russia
WASHINGTON — For the third straight day, President Donald Trump cast doubt on whether he views Russia as a threat, despite warnings from his own government that Moscow continues to target the United States with hostile actions.
Trump triggered a new uproar Wednesday morning when he appeared to suggest that Russia is no longer seeking to interfere in U.S. elections — prompting the White House to assert hours later that his words had been misconstrued.
At the start of a Cabinet meeting at the White House, a reporter asked Trump, “Is Russia still targeting the U.S., Mr. President?”
“Thank you very much. No,” Trump responded, shaking his head.
“No? You don’t believe that to be the case?” the reporter said. “No,” Trump repeated. He went on to say that no president has been tougher on Russia than he has. “I think President Putin knows that better than anybody, certainly a lot better than the media,” Trump told reporters.
Trump’s remarks again appeared to contradict his top advisers on the threat posed by Russia, just one day after he said he accepted the conclusion of U.S. intelligence officials on Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
More than two hours later, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders sought to quell the latest controversy, saying Trump was saying “no” to whether he would take further questions — not to whether he thinks Russia continues to target the United States.
“I had a chance to speak with the president after his comments, and the president was, said, ‘Thank you very much,’ and was saying ‘no’ to answering questions,” Sanders said. “The president and his administration are working very hard to make sure that ... Russia is unable to meddle in our elections, as they have done in the past, and as we have stated.”
Trump has faced renewed scrutiny this week over his views on the threat posed by Russia in the wake of a summit Monday in Helsinki, where the U.S. president rhetorically embraced Vladimir Putin and appeared to side with the Russian president over U.S. intelligence officials on Moscow’s aggressive election interference.
On Tuesday, he attempted to clarify that he accepts the intelligence community’s conclusions about Moscow’s role in the 2016 campaign but added caveats suggesting that other nations or actors may have been involved. His comments Wednesday morning further muddied his stance.
By late Wednesday, Trump was again addressing the issue, saying in a CBS Evening News interview that he had warned Putin in their one-on-one meeting in Helsinki that the United States will not tolerate any further interference by Russia.
“I let him know we can’t have this. We’re not going to have it, and that’s the way it’s going to be,” Trump said.
He also told CBS that he holds Putin responsible for Russian interference in the 2016 campaign and that he agrees with the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusions.
“Well, I would, because he’s in charge of the country, just like I consider myself to be responsible for things that happen in this country,” Trump said when asked whether he holds Putin responsible. “So certainly as the leader of a country you would have to hold him responsible, yes.”
Some Democrats cast Trump’s remarks as only the latest worrisome signal of the president’s loyalties.
“Mr. President, it is time to stop taking the word of a KGB agent over that of your own intelligence officials,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, N.Y., said in a statement. “Russia interfered in our 2016 elections. They’re actively trying to do it again. You must wake up to that fact.”
Last week, Coats said that Russia and other countries are continuing to target U.S. businesses, the government and other institutions, and that “the warning lights are blinking red.”
Coats said the intelligence community continues to see efforts by Russian actors to manipulate U.S. public opinion, including through the use of fake social media accounts. He also sounded the alarm about potential attacks on U.S. infrastructure and the financial system.
FBI Director Christopher Wray, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Wednesday, said Russia continues to “spin up” Americans through fake news and propaganda.
“In fact, we expect the threat will grow in future years.”