Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen
U.S. intelligence officials continued to warn Thursday of an ongoing campaign by Russia to meddle in U.S. elections and sow division in American society.
"Our democracy itself is in the crosshairs," Homeland Security Director Kirstjen Nielsen said alongside the heads of American intelligence agencies at the White House.
President Donald Trump asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to halt the special counsel probe into Russia's alleged election meddling on Wednesday.Sessions evoked Trump's ire last year when he announced he would recuse himself from the Russia probe because he had not disclosed his contacts with Russia's Washington ambassador during his Senate confirmation. Trump has publicly and privately fumed over the decision.After months of deriding Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, which is also examining possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia, the president directly appealed to his top law enforcement official to squash the investigation.Trump says attorney general should stop Mueller probe 'right now'"This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!" Trump wrote in a series of tweets.After Sessions stepped aside, the second in command at the Justice Department, Rod Rosenstein, has overseen the Mueller probe, making any action by Sessions unlikely.Prosecutors portray Trump's ex-campaign chief as a liar and tax cheatThe trial of Trump's former campaign manager began Tuesday. Paul Manafort is facing federal bank fraud and tax charges brought by Mueller.The trial is expected to last at least two weeks.In another tweet Wednesday, Trump said Manafort "worked for me for a very short time," despite the fact that Manafort worked for his campaign for half a year."Why didn’t government tell me that he was under investigation. These old charges have nothing to do with Collusion - a Hoax!" Trump said.In addition to seeking to determine the details of Russia's alleged interference in the election and the Trump campaign's possible cooperation with the effort, Mueller is also examining the president's potential obstruction of justice.His tweet Wednesday morning saying Sessions "should stop" Mueller raises new questions over obstruction.The White House said the president was voicing his opinion, not issuing an order to Sessions.
Trump calls on top lawyer to end special counsel probe
"Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and it has become clear that they are the target of our adversaries who seek, as the DNI just said, to sow discord and undermine our way of life," Nielsen added.
Nielsen was referring to Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who like Nielsen, was at the White House to speak to reporters about election security ahead of November's midterm polls.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end a federal criminal probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and whether there was any cooperation by his campaign with Moscow.After a pair of tweets attacking the probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Trump wrote: "This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further."Bob Mueller is totally conflicted," Trump continued. He provided no evidence that the team led by Mueller, a Republican appointed by Republicans, is biased against him.A Justice Department spokeswoman said the department had no immediate comment on the tweet.The first trial arising from the probe into Russia's efforts to put Trump in the White House, and any coordination with his campaign team, began this week. Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, faces 18 counts of bank and tax fraud charges.Prosecutors portray Trump's ex-campaign chief as a liar and tax cheatThe Republican president has steadily attacked his attorney general for recusing himself from the Russia probe in March 2017. Sessions cited his role as a senior adviser to Trump's presidential campaign and appointed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to oversee the investigation. Rosenstein in turn appointed Mueller.The man heading Trump's re-election campaign, Brad Parscale, has in recent months called on Trump to fire Sessions and end the Mueller probe.Moscow has denied it interfered in the 2016 election campaign, and Trump has denied any collusion by his campaign.
Trump says attorney general should stop Mueller probe 'right now'
He warned of an ongoing "pervasive messaging campaign by Russia to try to weaken and divide the United States," but said the extent of the campaign has so far been assessed to be less extensive than the Russian effort U.S. intelligence agencies determined had sought to meddle in the 2016 presidential election.
“We’re only one keyboard click away from finding something that we haven’t seen up to this particular point in time. But right now we haven’t seen that,” Coats said.
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill on Thursday that they said would raise pressure on Russia in response to Moscow's interference in U.S. elections, as well as its activities in Syria and aggression in Crimea."The current sanctions regime has failed to deter Russia from meddling in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said.Congress passed a Russia sanctions bill last summer but some lawmakers chafed at what they saw as the Trump administration's reluctance to implement it.Democratic Senator Bob Mendendez said the administration has not fully complied with those sanctions."This bill is the next step in tightening the screws on the Kremlin and will bring to bear the full condemnation of the United States Congress so that Putin finally understands that the U.S. will not tolerate his behavior any longer," he said.The bill includes restrictions on new Russian sovereign debt transactions, energy and projects, Russian uranium imports and new sanctions on Russian political figures and oligarchs.
US senators introduce bill with new Russia sanctions
He said President Donald Trump has "specifically directed" the agencies to ensure that countering prospective election meddling is a top priority.
Trump's public comments over the matter during the past couple of weeks have drawn widespread criticism, particularly remarks he made during a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump appeared to back Putin's denials of any role in the effort during their meeting before reneging on his comments after he returned to Washington.
Putin acknowledged at the summit that he favored the then-Republican nominee because Trump wanted to normalize relations with Russia, but has consistently maintained the Kremlin had no part in interfering in the election.
Coats said that while Moscow is continuing its efforts to interfere in the U.S.'s elections, which he called a "pervasive messaging campaign" other nations "may be considering influence activities."
"We know there are others who have the capability," he said. "We will continue to monitor and warn of any such efforts."
In addition to Coats and Nielsen FBI Director Chris Wray, National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone and National Security Adviser John Bolton briefed reporters.
Nakasone said the U.S. stands ready to "conduct operations" against those who may seek to meddle in the upcoming midterm elections, which will see roughly one-third of Senate seats up for grabs as well as all seats in the House of Representatives.
"Our forces are well trained, ready and very capable," said Nakasone, who also heads U.S. Cyber Command. He declined to address specifics of what the operations might entail.