President Trump argued Friday that Russians did not cost Hillary Clinton the election in 2016 and called the controversy surrounding Moscow’s interference in the presidential race a “hoax.”
“Russia did not help me, that I can tell you,” Trump said during a rally in Huntsville, Ala. on Friday. “I call it the Russian hoax.”
Trump said Democrats “needed an excuse” following their defeat at most levels of government on Election Day, “so they said, Russia.”
“I didn’t see too many Russians in Pennsylvania,” Trump joked.
Clinton has emerged from private life this month to promote a campaign memoir that saddles Russia with some of the blame for her election defeat last year. Her book tour has revived debate among Republicans and Democrats about how much responsibility the Russians should bear for Trump’s victory.
“Any Russians in the audience … Are there any Russians in the audience?” Trump called out to the thousands of people gathered in Huntsville for the rally in honor of Sen. Luther Strange, a Republican competing for the GOP nomination for Senate in a runoff scheduled for Tuesday.
