Trump slammed for choosing to believe Julian Assange over U.S. intelligence


Donald Trump apparently liked what he heard on Fox News last night. The president-elect referred to Sean Hannity's Tuesday night interview with WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange in a tweet Wednesday morning, praising the doubt Assange cast on whether Russia was the responsible party behind hacks during the election season:
Trump was immediately hit with criticism over the tweet. "I have a lot more faith in our intelligence officers … than I do in people like Julian Assange," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said on MSNBC shortly afterward. Former CIA and Pentagon spokesman George Little tweeted his own two cents:
Former CIA operations officer Evan McMullin, who ran against Trump as an Independent in the presidential election, also shared his criticism following Hannity's interview Tuesday:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Assange had not even been especially vehement in his denial of Russia as the perpetrator. "On the top [of the FBI and Department of Homeland Security's Joint Analysis Report on Russian interference in the U.S. election], there is a disclaimer saying nothing — there is no guarantee that any of this information is accurate," he told Hannity on Tuesday. "It's a guess," Hannity asked, and Assange shook his head. "I used to be a computer security expert," Assange said. "What they have is what they call indicators. So, a way to recognize if these tools, these alleged Russian tools, have been used on your system."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein