U.S. media reports say the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, says President Donald Trump would fully support strong action against Russia once investigations are completed into the Kremlin’s interference in the U.S. presidential election.
She reportedly told ABC television on April 2 that there is no contradiction between her tough stance and President Trump's repeated public statements seeking to minimize Russia's role.
She said Trump “has not once” told her to stop “beating up on Russia,” according to The Associated Press.
She reportedly joins Defense Secretary James Mattis as Trump administration officials who have forcefully called out Russia for its actions during the 2016 U.S. campaign.
“We don't want any country involved in our elections, ever,” Haley said. “We need to be very strong on that.”
President Trump has said he believes Russian operatives hacked Democratic Party emails during the election, he has repeatedly lambasted as "fake news" any suggestion that he or his staff had connections to Russia.
Trump continued his attacks over the weekend, tweeting: “It is the same Fake News Media that said there is 'no path to victory for Trump' that is now pushing the phony Russia story. A total scam!”
He added on Sunday: “The real story turns out to be SURVEILLANCE and LEAKING! Find the leakers.”
Recall, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia interfered in the U.S. campaign in an effort to help Trump win the vote.
Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the panel, reportedly went to the White House on Friday to view materials that he said were “precisely the same.” He declined on Sunday to describe the contents, but criticized the unorthodox disclosure to Nunes, suggesting that the material was more likely an “effort to deflect attention” and “create a cloud through which the public cannot see.”
“Whenever they see the president use the word 'fake,' it should set off alarm bells,” Schiff said. “I think that's really what going on here.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who chairs the Armed Services Committee, said it was indisputable that Russia attempted to influence the U.S. election, reiterating his call for a special select committee.
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he didn't think another review was necessary, citing the bipartisan work from the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied Moscow interfered in the U.S. presidential election.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on April 2 told ABC TV that Russia was not worried about what any U.S. probe might turn up.
"We insist that any blaming that Russia could have been interfering in domestic affairs of the United States is slander," he said.
The Associated Press reports that Haley, Peskov and McCain appeared on ABC's “This Week,” Haley also was on CBS' “Face the Nation,” Schiff spoke on CNN's “State of the Union,” and McConnell appeared on “Fox News Sunday” and NBC's “Meet The Press.”
