President Trump late Saturday ramped up his attacks against The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of committing a “virtual act of treason” over its report about the U.S. increasing cyberattacks on Russia’s electric power grid.
“Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia,” Trump tweeted. “This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country.”
Trump claimed in a separate tweet that the story was “not true!”
“Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today,” he added. “They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”
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The Times earlier Saturday published a new report about the United States’ efforts to penetrate Russia’s power grid. The Times, citing current and former government officials, noted that the actions are a warning to Moscow on how the Trump administration is using new authorities to unleash cyber tools in an aggressive manner.
The officials said that the U.S. was deploying computer code within Russia’s grid and other targets. The moves are reportedly a part of a broader initiative to combat Russia’s hacking in the 2018 midterm elections.
“It has gotten far, far more aggressive over the past year,” one senior intelligence official told the Times. “We are doing things at a scale that we never contemplated a few years ago.”
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Multiple administration officials also told the newspaper that they do not believe Trump was briefed about the plans to deploy computer code into Russia’s grid. Some officials within the Pentagon and intelligence community told the Times that there was hesitation to give Trump details about the operations.
- Discussion
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Trump accuses New York Times of "of Treason" over report on US digital attacks on Russia https://t.co/vEWV5BXbCO pic.twitter.com/KZNoxj0yYw
— The Hill (@thehill) June 16, 2019
Grandpa Ranty is hitting the cooking sherry again. https://t.co/HiY3wfUMdJ
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 16, 2019
Holy shnikes https://t.co/dTtcgekXj4
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 15, 2019
It is hard to read this tweet in any way other than: "I am terrified that Vladimir Putin will read this story and believe it, so I will say that it is not true and attack the NYT for reporting it."
The President's very personal fear of Putin is palpable. https://t.co/VEo14zW8RE— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 16, 2019
Three things to think about with today's POTUS attacks on the NYT and WaPo.
1. The USG and the WH are on two different tracks. This is not good, and the Russians know it.
2. No deterrent against Russia can be all that effective without the CINC.
3. POTUS clearly fears Putin.— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 16, 2019
NSC officials didn't contest the story..
"Officials at the NSC also declined to comment but said they had no national security concerns about the details of NYT reporting….perhaps an indication that some of the intrusions were intended to be noticed.."https://t.co/OIMiImNQT6
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) June 18, 2019
There’s that word again. “Treason.” Trump and his fans throw that accusation around about as much as Obama supporters hurl the accusation of “racist” against anyone who doesn’t like their hero.
Do Trump and his fans even know what “treason” is?
One thing “treason” is not – the exercise of freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.
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