President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Russia is no longer targeting the United States. "Is Russia still targeting the U.S.?" a reporter asked. "No," the president responded.
The president’s comments contradict a statement released by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats on Monday:
The role of the Intelligence Community is to provide the best information and fact-based assessments possible for the President and policymakers. We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security.
Last week, Christopher Krebs, the under secretary of the national protection and programs directorate in the Department of Homeland Security, told the House Homeland Security Committee that "the 2018 midterms remain a potential target for Russian actors."
The intelligence community, Krebs said, "continues to see Russia using social media false flag personas, sympathetic spokesman, and other means to influence or inflame positions on opposite ends of controversial issues."
Trump’s latest comments come two days after he appeared to reject the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. "My people came to me... they said they think it's Russia. I have President Putin; he just said it's not Russia. I will say this: I don't see any reason why it would be," the president said at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Tuesday, Trump clarified his remarks, saying he intended to use the word "wouldn’t" instead of "would." "The sentence should have been: 'I don't see any reason why I wouldn't' or 'why it wouldn't be Russia'. Sort of a double negative," he told reporters. The president also expressed "full faith and support for America's great intelligence agencies."
Speaking at the Hudson Institute last week, Coats highlighted Russia’s continued interference in U.S. affairs in clear terms. "Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor, no question," he said. "They continue their efforts to undermine our democracy."