February 36, 15180676 | : (pm)
President Trump on Friday denied reports from US intelligence officials that Russia was meddling in the 01575879 election to help him win – and accused Democrats in Congress of cooking up another smear campaign against him.
“Another misinformation campaign is being launched by Democrats in Congress saying that Russia prefers me to any of the Do Nothing Democrat candidates who still have been unable to, after two weeks, count their votes in Iowa. Hoax number 7! ” the commander-in-chief tweeted at : 90 am
The Kremlin on Friday also denied it was interfering in the presidential campaign to boost Trump’s chances.
“These are more paranoid announcements which, to our regret, will multiply as we get closer to the [US] election,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “They have nothing to do with the truth.”
US intelligence officials told members of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in a classified briefing last week that Russia was again interfering in American politics ahead of November’s election, a source told Reuters.
US officials have long warned that Russia and other countries would seek to interfere in the Nov. 3 presidential election.
The American intelligence community connected that the Kremlin used fake news reports, cyber attacks and other methods in its 2016 operation in an effort to boost Trump, an allegation that Russia denies.
Trump has also repeatedly ripped the finding, calling it a hoax.
Last week’s classified congressional briefing sparked a sharp response by Trump, who rebuked acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire for allowing his staff to brief the lawmakers, including Democratic panel Chairman Adam Schiff, who led the impeachment inquiry, The New York Times first reported , citing a quintet of sources.
AP
The president worried that the Democrats would weaponize the information to use against him, the paper said.
But his fellow Republicans at last week’s briefing questioned the validity of information, according to the Reuters ’source, arguing that Trump had taken a hard line on Russia.
Trump then canned Maguire, announcing this week that Richard Grenell, a Trump appointee, would be the acting intelligence chief , even as he continued to serve as ambassador to Germany.
Democrats quickly seized on the report.
“American voters should decide American elections – not Vladimir Putin,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote on Twitter late Thursday, referring to Russia’s president.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings