National security adviser Robert O’Brien is rejecting reports that the U.S. intelligence community believes Russia is interfering in the 2020 presidential election with the goal of reelecting President Trump.
“I haven’t seen any intelligence that Russia is doing anything to attempt to get President Trump reelected,” O’Brien said in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” to be broadcast on Sunday. “I think this is the same old story that we’ve heard before. … We’ve been very tough on Russia, and we’ve been great on election security. So I think it’s a nonstory.”
"I haven't seen any intelligence that Russia is doing anything to attempt to get President Trump reelected," Robert O'Brien tells @GStephanopoulos amid reports that intel officials told lawmakers Russia is meddling in 2020, with a preference for Trump. https://t.co/kHUIBjiIBB pic.twitter.com/AxdWI6mqEr
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 23, 2020
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ABC’s George Stephanopoulos consistently pressed O’Brien about the recent reports, at one point asking whether Shelby Pierson, the official who offered the intelligence, was lying. O’Brien demurred before later stating that Republican lawmakers who were briefed told him “that there was zero intelligence that was proffered to them to support that sort of comment.”
He then doubled down, stating that he has not seen any intelligence suggesting Russia is interfering in 2020 to help Trump.
“What I’m saying is I have not seen that analysis. No one’s briefed me on it, including the leadership of the [intelligence community],” O’Brien said, describing the news reports about Russian interference as “leaks” and stating that no leaders in the intelligence community have similar analysis.
Pushed on whether he’s asked for the intelligence on Russia, O’Brien said, “I’d be happy to take a look at it. I just haven’t seen it.”
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O’Brien during the ABC interview described reports that Russia wants to help Sanders as “no surprise” but sharply pushed back against ones dealing with Trump.
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National security adviser dismisses reports Russia interfering in election to help Trump https://t.co/eDuN8OlIZw pic.twitter.com/lnEwO5LjHk
— The Hill (@thehill) February 23, 2020Pretty obvious that Robert O’Brien is on This Week with an audience of one in mind.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) February 23, 2020
Marc Short rejected suggestions of support for the president from Vladimir Putin’s regimehttps://t.co/Ozbt6PNMB4
— POLITICO (@politico) February 23, 2020
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