In an alternate universe, the U.S. government is discussing a host of cybersecurity reforms to safeguard its electoral system after the Russian government waged a cyber-campaign to swing the election against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.。
In this universe, the United States is led by President Donald Trump, who seems to go out of his way to blame others or downplay Russia's role in the cyber-campaign. On Thursday in Poland, Trump did it again.。
SEE ALSO:Trump’s Tech Week did not make America great。"I think it could very well have been Russia but I think it well could have been other countries and I won't be specific." That much is clear!
"I think it could very well have been Russia but I think it well could have been other countries and I won't be specific." That much is clear!。
6/15/2016。
After the Democratic National Committee was hacked in the run-up to the Trump-Clinton presidential debates, Trump said he didn't believe there had been any hacking at all.。
"We believe it was the DNC that did the hacking as a way to distract from the many issues facing their deeply flawed candidate and failed party leader," Trump said at a campaign rally. 。
Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump shake hands at the start of the first presidential debate, at Hofstra University.Credit: Justin Lane/Epa/REX/Shutterstock。
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“I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC," Trump said. He then said "maybe it was," but added, "I mean, it could be Russia. But it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?"。"。
10/9/2016。
"[Hillary Clinton] doesn't know if it's the Russians doing the hacking," Trump said. "Maybe there is no hacking. But they always blame Russia. And the reason they blame Russia because they think they're trying to tarnish me with Russia."。
12/12/2016。
12/12/2016 。
Tweet may have been deleted。
Tweet may have been deleted 。
He's not wrong! But in this case, it's a little like having DNA evidence and several eyewitness accounts that place a suspect at the scene of a crime, but not charging that suspect because the suspect hasn't said, "I did the bad thing."。
1/3/2017 。
Tweet may have been deleted。
Trump followed up that tweet with another a few hours later in which he uses Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange to make light of the notion that Moscow was behind the attacks. 。
Tweet may have been deleted。
The Donald didn't feel much differently after meeting with intelligence officials, either.。
1/11/2017 。