President-elect Donald Trump said today he accepts the intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia was behind the massive alleged hacking of political organizations and individuals during the U.S. presidential race — the first time he has conceded that Russia was behind the cyberattacks.
"As far as hacking, I think it was Russia," Trump told reporters during his first press conference since winning the Nov. 8 election. "But I also think we've been hacked by other countries, other people."
Trump added that Russian President Vladimir Putin "shouldn't have done it" and he doesn't believe Putin will "be doing it more now" after he's inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Last week Trump and President Barack Obama were separately briefed on a classified intelligence report on Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election. A declassified version was released afterward that said Putin ordered a campaign to influence the contest between Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
"We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election. Russia's goals were to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton and harm her electability and potential presidency," the report reads, citing the Russian government's "long-standing desire to undermine the U.S.-led liberal democratic order."
"We further assess Putin and the Russian government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump," the report continues, saying Putin nursed a "grudge" against Clinton "for comments he almost certainly saw as disparaging."
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