On Twitter Thursday morning, Donald Trump objected to news stories that have suggested he places a higher value on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange\u2019s statements than on the findings of the U. S. intelligence community.
The dishonest media likes saying that I am in Agreement with Julian Assange – wrong. I simply state what he states, it is for the people….
to make up their own minds as to the truth. The media lies to make it look like I am against \u00ab\u00a0Intelligence\u00a0\u00bb when in fact I am a big fan!
In the tweet that mentioned Assange Wednesday, Mr. Trump cited the WikiLeaks founder, who had claimed in an interview with Fox News that Russia was not the source of the hacked emails of the DNC or of Hillary Clinton\u2019s campaign chairman, John Podesta.
Julian Assange said \u00ab\u00a0a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta\u00a0\u00bb – why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!
The president-elect\u2019s tweets Thursday morning came shortly before Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers were to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee about Russian cyber attacks during the 2016 election, as well as the greater cyber threat Russia poses to the U. S.
Clapper, who was asked what he thought of Assange during the hearing, told the panel, \u201cI don\u2019t think those of us in the intelligence community have a whole lot of respect for him.\u201d And he said of the president-elect\u2019s remarks on the intelligence community, \u201cThere\u2019s a difference between skepticism and disparagement.\u201d
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, who serves on the committee, said Thursday morning he was angry that Mr. Trump had embraced any of Assange\u2019s statements.
President-elect Donald Trump may make significant changes to U. S. intelligence agencies when he takes office. Michael O’Hanlon, a foreign policy…
\u201cIt made me mad quite frankly that the president-elect would embrace anything Julian Assange said — a man who has a record of putting our American military at risk by leaking classified information undermining American foreign policies, a fugitive from the law,\u201d Graham told reporters. \u201cI don\u2019t think you should ever embrace anything he says. And this is the same guy Donald Trump wanted to kill in 2010.\u201d
He also said that he had \u201czero\u201d doubt that Russia was behind the hacking, CBS News\u2019 Alan He reports. Graham added that Russia is not only hacking here, but \u201cthey are doing it all over the world.\u201d
Mr. Trump, Graham said, hasn\u2019t been briefed on the Russian hacking report yet, and he offered the president-elect some unsolicited advice — \u201cdon\u2019t question things until you\u2019ve been informed of them. Then question them.\u201d
Mr. Trump is not yet convinced that Russians are behind the cyber attacks against the DNC and Podesta, a doubt that comes across in his social media posts:
The \u00ab\u00a0Intelligence\u00a0\u00bb briefing on so-called \u00ab\u00a0Russian hacking\u00a0\u00bb was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange!
Mr. Trump is also seriously considering cutting back the DNI, CBS News\u2019 Major Garrett reports, and some involved in those conversations say one reason he has not yet named a DNI is that he might leave the post vacant as part of a reduction in force and the elimination of another layer of bureaucracy.
Graham did not dismiss the idea of getting rid of the DNI position, first reported by the Wall Street Journal Wednesday. \u201cI\u2019d be open-minded if you can prove to me it makes [intelligence] better,\u201d Graham said.
Four intelligence chiefs are scheduled to brief the president-elect Friday on their report on Russian hacking.<\/p>\n

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