‘I want NO help from any country and I have NOT been given help from any country.’ Donald Trump DENIES Russia is interfering to back him and attacks his intelligence community AGAIN
- Trump was asked about reports of Russian election interference
- He said he hadn’t gotten ‘any help from any country’
- He accused Rep. Adam Schiff of leaking information about an intelligence briefing
- Administration official reportedly briefed lawmakers it wants to support Trump
- Bernie Sanders says he was briefed Russia wants to back his primary campaign
- Trump was acquitted on an impeachment article of abuse of power over pushy by Trump and his allies to get Ukraine to investigate the Bidens
President Donald Trump has denied that Russia or any country interfered to help his election campaign, as he once again tore into Rep. Adam Schiff and accused him of leaking information about a classified security briefing.
Asked during a press conference in India whether he was briefed that Russia was acting to support him as well as Democratic primary contender Bernie Sanders, Trump responded: ‘Nobody ever told me that.’
‘I want no help from any country and I haven’t been given any help from any country,’ said Trump.
‘I want no help from any country and I haven’t been given any help from any country,’ said Trump, when asked about Russian election interference
The U.S. intelligence community and the Mueller report concluded Russia hacked Democratic emails in the 2016 as part of an effort to boost Trump and sow discord in U.S. politics.
Trump wouldn’t say directly whether he believed assessments that Russia wants to interfere in the 2020 elections, following explosive reporting that a top administration intelligence staffer briefed lawmakers that it did.
He accused House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) of leaking the information that led to a New York Times report, although he didn’t provide evidence to back up his suspicion.
‘Schiff leaked it in my opinion. He shouldn’t be leaking things like that. That’s a terrible thing to do,’ Trump said.
‘If they don’t stop it, I can’t imagine that people won’t go after them,’ he added. Schiff has denied the charge, and tweeted over the weekend after Trump leveled similar accusations. ‘Nice deflection, Mr. President. But your false claims fool no one. You welcomed Russian help in 2016, tried to coerce Ukraine’s help in 2019, and won’t protect our elections in 2020. Now you fired your intel chief for briefing Congress about it. You’ve betrayed America. Again,’ Schiff tweeted.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes ands with US President Donald J. Trump (L) after addressing the media after a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, 25 February 2020. US President Trump is on a two-day state visit to India
Trump has long cast doubts on evidence Russia interfered in the 2016 elections, and said he hasn’t been told they are interfering in 2020
Trump accused Adam Schiff of leaking information on a classified briefing
Trump also denied that he pushed out acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire over the briefing conducted by his subordinate.
‘Not at all. He was pushed out because frankly if he wasn’t pushed out, he would have had to get out,’ Trump said, noting the clock was ticking on Maguire’s acting capacity.
Trump also indicated his post-impeachment purge isn’t over. ‘We want to have people that are good for the country, are loyal to our country because that was a disgraceful situation,’ he said.
Trump drew fire last year when ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked if he would accept help from a foreign country. ‘I think you might want to listen, there isn’t anything wrong with listening,’ Trump said. Trump was acquitted on an impeachment article of abuse of power over pushy by Trump and his allies to get Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.