Outgoing Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Sunday that the U.S. should not limit its response to Russian cyberattacks.
“I don’t think it should be a military or purely military response,” Carter said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “There has to be a response, and I think the things and the steps that have been taken so far probably represent a beginning and not the end.”
But in fact, the response so far may be closer to an end than a beginning, since President-elect Trump has prioritized improving relations with Russia.
The Obama administration announced sanctions against Russia in late December in retaliation for cyberattacks against the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
As part of the sanctions, the U.S. ejected 35 Russian intelligence operatives from the country and shuttered compounds in New York and Maryland used by Russian diplomats in the U.S.
Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham have repeatedly called for stronger sanctions against the country.
“It’s an aggressive act against our very democracy, and that’s why I think all Americans need to regard it very seriously,” Carter said Sunday. “It raises questions about our overall strategy with respect to Russia.”
