U.S. intel: Russia acting against Biden

WASHINGTON — U.S. intelligence officials believe that Russia is using a variety of measures to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden ahead of the November election and that individuals linked to the Kremlin are boosting President Donald Trump’s reelection bid, the country’s counterintelligence chief said Friday.

U.S. officials also believe that China does not want Trump to win a second term and is expanding its efforts to shape policy in America.

The statement from William Evanina is believed to be the most pointed declaration by the U.S. intelligence community linking the Kremlin to efforts to get Trump reelected.

It also links Moscow’s disapproval of Biden to his role in shaping Obama administration policies supporting Ukraine, an important U.S. ally, and opposing Russian leader Vladimir Putin. That assertion conflicts with the narrative advanced by Trump, who has made unsubstantiated claims that Biden’s actions in Ukraine were intended to help the business interests of his son, Hunter.

Asked about the intelligence assessment at a news conference Friday evening in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump seemed to disagree with the intelligence assessment that Russia was trying to denigrate Biden. “I think the last person Russia wants to see in office is Donald Trump because nobody has been tougher on Russia than I have — ever,” he said.

But the president seemed to agree with the intelligence indicating China didn’t want to see him reelected. “If Joe Biden was president, China would own our country,” he said.