Intelligence chief reaffirms Russia is trying to meddle in the midterms, says he doesn't know what Trump and Putin discussed
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats on Thursday said that the cyberattacks that are persistently working to "weaken and divide the United States" are targeting all Americans, "regardless of party."
Speaking at a White House press briefing, Coats emphasized the "pervasive messaging campaign" that could influence the 2018 midterm elections, but said the efforts were not as "robust" as the interference in the 2016 elections.
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Coats seemed to be back in alignment with Trump's messaging Thursday, appearing at the briefing with other administration officials like Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. However, when asked about the details of Trump's conversation with Putin at their summit in Helsinki more than two weeks ago, Coats said he wasn't "in a position to either understand fully or talk about" the summit.
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