NEW YORK, Jan. 2 (UPI) — Sean Spicer, the president-elect’s incoming press secretary, said Monday it would be “irresponsible” to conclude the Russians’ cyberattack tried to influence the 2016 U.S. election without a final report.
“This report that everyone keeps talking about is not final,” Spicer said, speaking on CNN’s New Day. “The idea that we are jumping to conclusions before we have a final report is frankly irresponsible.”
Donald Trump, who has voiced doubt over the pending report, said Saturday he will be briefed from the heads of the intelligence community later this week but he has inside information, which he said he’ll reveal Tuesday or Wednesday.
“And I know a lot about hacking,” Trump told reporters before attending a New Year’s Eve party at his country club Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. “And hacking is a very hard thing to prove. So it could be somebody else. And I also know things that other people don’t know, and so they cannot be sure of the situation.”
Spicer didn’t clarify what is the inside information.
“As President-elect he is privy to information most people aren’t,” Spicer said.
He also wouldn’t speculate what action Trump would take if the president elect was convinced the Russians were behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and campaign officials’ emails.
“He’s not been briefed by the heads of the intelligence community yet and you’re asking me what his response should be,” he said. “Think about that.”
Spicer later told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota that “I know this frustrating for you that we’re doing it in a logical way. No, we’re going to get all the information, get briefed properly and then make a decision. We’re not going to put the cart before the horse.”
Last Thursday, President Barack Obama announced sanctions last week intended to punish the Kremlin for those attacks with the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and new sanctions.
NEW YORK, Jan. 2 (UPI) — Sean Spicer, the president-elect’s incoming press secretary, said Monday it would be “irresponsible” to conclude the Russians’ cyberattack tried to influence the 2016 U.S. election without a final report.
“This report that everyone keeps talking about is not final,” Spicer said, speaking on CNN’s New Day. “The idea that we are jumping to conclusions before we have a final report is frankly irresponsible.”
Donald Trump, who has voiced doubt over the pending report, said Saturday he will be briefed from the heads of the intelligence community later this week but he has inside information, which he said he’ll reveal Tuesday or Wednesday.
“And I know a lot about hacking,” Trump told reporters before attending a New Year’s Eve party at his country club Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. “And hacking is a very hard thing to prove. So it could be somebody else. And I also know things that other people don’t know, and so they cannot be sure of the situation.”
Spicer didn’t clarify what is the inside information.
“As President-elect he is privy to information most people aren’t,” Spicer said.
He also wouldn’t speculate what action Trump would take if the president elect was convinced the Russians were behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and campaign officials’ emails.
“He’s not been briefed by the heads of the intelligence community yet and you’re asking me what his response should be,” he said. “Think about that.”
Spicer later told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota that “I know this frustrating for you that we’re doing it in a logical way. No, we’re going to get all the information, get briefed properly and then make a decision. We’re not going to put the cart before the horse.”
Last Thursday, President Barack Obama announced sanctions last week intended to punish the Kremlin for those attacks with the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and new sanctions.
“I know this is frustrating for you that we are doing it in a logical way.” Trump spox takes shot at @AlisynCamerota
