The former NATO supreme allied commander said he was unsure how Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats will “go to work tomorrow,” after President Trump’s comments Monday that cast doubt on whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election during a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
“I like and respect Ambassador Dan Coats our Director of National Intelligence and head of the US intel community,” retired Admiral James Stavridis said in a tweet. “But I am Not sure how he goes to work tomorrow — knowing that his boss values his assurances no more highly than those of Vladimir Putin.”
[More: ‘Shameful’: Senate Republicans blast Trump after he blamed US for soured Russian relationship]
I like and respect Ambassador Dan Coats our Director of National Intelligence and head of the US intel community. But I am Not sure how he goes to work tomorrow — knowing that his boss values his assurances no more highly than those of Vladimir Putin.
— stavridisj (@stavridisj) July 16, 2018
The tweet comes after Trump told reporters that Putin said the Russian government was not to blame for interference in the election, which contradicts a report from the U.S. intelligence community that determined last year that Russian agents were responsible for interfering in the election.
“I have President Putin. He just said it is not Russia,” Trump told reporters. “I will say this: I do not see any reason why it would be.”
Meanwhile, Coats stood by the intelligence community’s previous assessment.
“We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security,” Coats said in a statement.
The episode comes after Coats warned on Friday that cyber threats against the U.S. could harm elections in the future and in the 2018 midterm elections.
