Monday, December 12, 2016

PKG: Trump calls US intelligence conclusions on Russian election hacking "ridiculous"

Donald Trump has described as "ridiculous" reports that the CIA believes Russia interfered with the US Presidential election.


He's accusing Democrats of using the issue to make fresh excuses for Hillary Clinton's defeat last month.


He's also explained why he has decided NOT to receive daily briefings from America's intelligence agencies.


Our US Correspondent Simon Marks reports.


IN:  "There's never….."

OUT:  "…financial benefit"

DUR:  3:11


http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/1212trumppkg-sm-generic.mp3



There's never been a Presidential interview like it before….at times you could see the interviewer….Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday….struggling to keep a straight face as Donald Trump went on the rampage.

First, he dismissed reports that the CIA now believes Russia tried to influence the outcome of the Presidential election….by hacking in to the servers of both political parties….but then only releasing data embarrassing to the Democrats.

That reported assessment by US intelligence was dismissed by Mr. Trump with one word:


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Ridiculous, he says, because there is no way US intelligence can possibly know who hacked whom, when, and why.


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Indeed, it could be.

But US intelligence with its almost limitless resources doesn't think it was.

And Mr. Trump's battle with the intelligence agencies didn't stop there.

He also explained why - breaking with precedent - he is not receiving a daily briefing from America's spymasters…..something Barack Obama and his predecessors have done every single day of their administrations.


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All of this is shocking to America's foreign policy establishment….including many top Republicans.

You could hear the anguish in the voice of the party's former Presidential candidate….Senator John McCain.


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Mr Trump's interview….and another weekend of Twitter activity by the President-elect…. served as the clearest indication yet that he will be anything but predictable in office.

On two other issues he made more headlines.

On China….he made it clear he is not committed to the one-China policy that has guaranteed stable relations between the two titans for nearly 40 years.

 

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And he also previewed details that he says he'll provide later this week about his plans for his stake in the Trump Organization…the company he's built that does global deals with many of the governments he'll also deal with as President.

He is clearly not financially walking away.


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That will do nothing to satisfy those in Washington who say Mr. Trump is setting himself up for endless "conflict of interest" claims over whether he's acting on behalf of America or his own family's financial benefit.