President Trump claimed Thursday that Russia may not be the sole actor in interfering in the 2016 elections.
“I think it was Russia, and it could’ve been other people in other countries. Could’ve been a lot of people interfered,” Mr. Trump said at a press conference in Poland.
“I said it very simply, it could well have been Russia, but I think it could well have been other countries and I won’t be specific.”
The president also denied that 17 intelligence agencies all agreed that Russia was the culprit in the election interference, saying that his administration had done “heavy research” and discovered it was only three or four agencies came to that conclusion.
“We did some very heavy research. It turned out to be three or four. It wasn’t 17. And many of your compatriots had to change their reporting,” he said to the reporter asking the question.
Mr. Trump was joined at the press conference by Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at the press conference where the two agreed that press coverage was a problem in both their countries.
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“What we want to see in the United States is an honest, beautiful — but honest — free press. We don’t want fake news, not everybody is fake news. But we don’t want fake news. Bad thing. Very bad thing for our country,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Duda spoke about his government’s restrictions on the press and treatment of the media in general as well.
Mr. Trump is expected to make a speech in Poland later Thursday before heading to Germany for the G-20 summit.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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