Russian leader Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign to tilt the American presidential election to Donald Trump, according to a new report from U.S. intelligence agencies. Josh Robin filed the following report.
The report bluntly states orders came from the top.
"Russia's goals," it says, "were to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump."
Trump, who, of course, ended up winning, not by the popular vote, but with an electoral college victory solidified in a Capitol Hill ceremony interrupted by protesters.
While he was being declared winner, intelligence officials were briefing him at Trump Tower.
A statement emerging later shows he doesn't reach their unambiguous conclusions about Russia and Putin, an authoritarian leader Trump has repeatedly praised.
"While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat National Committee," Trump said partly in a statement. "there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election."
"The president-elect has made it very clear that we are going to take aggressive action in the early days of our new administration to combat cyberattacks and protect the security of the American people from this type of intrusion in the future," said Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
It is true some attacks have come from places other than Russia. That's not the case this time. That's what Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told lawmakers.
"This was actually part of a multifaceted campaign that the Russians mounted," he said.
As for why, the report finds Clinton was seen as supporting a pro-democracy uprising that threatened Putin.
In an interview with The New York Times Friday, Trump called the attention on the Russia hack a "witch hunt." He's clearly stung that some see his victory as tainted.
It may never be known to what degree, if any, Russia's involvement affected the election. To Clinton's advisers, the FBI's decision to reopen her email inquiry in October proved more pivotal to her loss.