Homeland Security chair: I told Donald Trump that Russia was behind hacks
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said Tuesday he told Donald Trump that Russia was trying to influence the election through hacking, but the GOP presidential nominee rejected that information.
During an event hosted by The Texas Tribune, moderator CEO Evan Smith recounted that McCaul had told The Dallas Morning News recently that he personally briefed Trump on Russia’s actions. But then Trump, at the
third presidential debate, said that no one knows for sure that Russia was behind the cyberattacks.
“I think he has in his mind that there’s not the proof,” McCaul, a Trump supporter, said at the event in Austin, according to video obtained by Politico. “Now he hasn’t had the briefing I’ve had, but I made it clear that in my judgment it was a nation-state.”
At the final debate in Las Vegas last week, Trump expressed doubt that Russia was responsible for hacks into U.S. election systems, campaigns and political groups.
“She has no idea whether it’s Russia, China, or anybody else,” Trump said. “Hillary, you have no idea.”