About time too.
After 18 months of getting kicked in the balls, the WH rolls out its national security team to discuss what they are doing to defend elections and protect against attacks by hostile actors (including information operations that target American public)
About time, guys.
— Molly McKew (@MollyMcKew) August 2, 2018
Yup.
DNI Dan Coats, at WH briefing, says Trump has personally directed his intelligence and law enforcement agencies to make preparations for election meddling a “top priority.”
— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) August 2, 2018
Context for this press conference: The president met w/ his nat sec council for less than an hour last week about election security, drawing criticism he doesn’t take the interference threat seriously. https://t.co/e5724LQkn0
— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) August 2, 2018
Of Russian activities now targeting 2018 elections, “It is not the kind of robust campaign” that Russians did in 2016, Coats said.
— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) August 2, 2018
FBI Dir. Wray says bureau is sharing more info, “actionable information,” with social media companies in ways that FBI wasn’t in the past. So that’s something?
— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) August 2, 2018
Bolton: “The president has made it abundantly clear to everybody who has responsibility in this area that he cares deeply about it … and that he supports them fully.”
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) August 2, 2018
Wray: “In the context of 2018, we are not yet seeing the same kind of efforts to specifically target election infrastructure — voter registration databases, in particular.”
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) August 2, 2018
Dan Coats said everyone next to him at WH believes the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment is “correct,” which said that Putin ordered a cybercampaign to interfere in elections with the intention of helping Trump win. House Intel Republicans have cast doubt on that conclusion
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 2, 2018
NSA director Nakasone was asked if he’d been given any orders or guidance to counteract Russian interference. He replied: “We’re not going to accept meddling in the elections.” Not really an answer to the question.
— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) August 2, 2018
While this is a good development, it does run counter to the President’s messaging….
The WH will never be able to say with credibility that it is taking Russian interference seriously when the president, press secretary, and national security advisor call the probe holding Russians accountable for interference a witch hunt. The two do not square.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) August 2, 2018
UPDATE: After the security show, Sarah Huckabee Sanders took some questions, and notably, refused to disavow Trump’s statement that the media is the “enemy of the people.” Why did she refuse to say that? Because she had her fee-fees hurt at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner.
“The media continues to ratchet up the verbal assault on the President and everyone in this Administration.” –@PressSec Sarah Sanders responding to @Acosta
She then refuses to say the press is NOT the enemy of the people – she “speaks for the President.” pic.twitter.com/Mi4k5GmZWv
— Bad Fox Graphics (@BadFoxGraphics) August 2, 2018
I walked out of the end of that briefing because I am totally saddened by what just happened. Sarah Sanders was repeatedly given a chance to say the press is not the enemy and she wouldn't do it. Shameful.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 2, 2018
"I'm tired of this," @Acosta says. "It is not right" to call the press the "enemy of the people." Watch this clip. pic.twitter.com/rcqB5FiSCy
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 2, 2018
What @PressSec doesn't get is that when she comes out to that podium, she is speaking on behalf of the United States of America, not just Donald Trump. The abuses of that concept are getting worse every day.
— Bill Burton (@billburton) August 2, 2018