Trump: ‘Everyone’ at G-20 summit is talking about 2016 DNC email leaks
President Trump went on a Twitter burst Friday from Hamburg, Germany, where he is attending the G-20 summit.
Among other things, Trump asserted that a hot topic among the world’s most powerful figures was the “disgraceful” response of Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager to the phishing attack that led to thousands of campaign emails being leaked last year. Trump also appeared to conflate that attack with a separate hack that targeted the Democratic National Committee.
“Everyone here is talking about why John Podesta refused to give the DNC server to the FBI and the CIA,” Trump tweeted. “Disgraceful!”
Everyone here is talking about why John Podesta refused to give the DNC server to the FBI and the CIA. Disgraceful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2017
While the attacks targeting Clinton campaign chair John Podesta and the DNC were somewhat similar, they were separate events, and Podesta was not in charge of nor did he work for the DNC. The U.S. intelligence community accused the Russian government at its highest levels of spearheading the hacks, which led to WikiLeaks publishing thousands of leaked emails.
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It seems unlikely that Podesta would be a big topic of discussion at the G-20 summit, which brings together the leaders of 20 leading world economic powers.
Adrienne Watson, a DNC spokeswoman, responded to Trump on Twitter. She wrote: “1) Podesta never ran the DNC. 2) DNC worked with FBI to kick out Russians. Worked with DHS. 3) Putin make you tweet this before mtg?”
1) Podesta never ran the DNC.
2) DNC worked with FBI to kick out Russians. Worked with DHS.
3) Putin make you tweet this before mtg? https://t.co/0IUEYpSpgQ
— Adrienne Watson (@Adrienne_DNC) July 7, 2017
Watson didn’t have any immediate further comments on Trump’s tweets, but noted that the committee has commented “extensively” in the past.
“The DNC has and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement on Russia’s interference in our election. The DNC has been in regular contact with the FBI for many months and the FBI confirmed the DNC has provided all the information it needed to make its assessment,” the DNC said in one past statement.
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Trump’s tweet came hours before he was scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House has not definitively said whether Trump will confront Putin about his alleged meddling in the U.S. election.
For the president, the missive marked a return to familiar territory from the campaign: attacking Clinton. In the 10 months since the election, Trump has continued to rain Twitter fire on his former opponent, often when news bubbles up about the FBI and Congress’ investigations into whether his campaign associates colluded with Russia during the race.
The reason that President Obama did NOTHING about Russia after being notified by the CIA of meddling is that he expected Clinton would win..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017
…and did not want to "rock the boat." He didn't "choke," he colluded or obstructed, and it did the Dems and Crooked Hillary no good.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017
Hillary Clinton colluded with the Democratic Party in order to beat Crazy Bernie Sanders. Is she allowed to so collude? Unfair to Bernie!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2017
Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, 'bleached' emails, & had husband meet w/AG days before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
Did Hillary Clinton ever apologize for receiving the answers to the debate? Just asking!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 3, 2017
What about all of the contact with the Clinton campaign and the Russians? Also, is it true that the DNC would not let the FBI in to look?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 20, 2017
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