Incoming chief of staff Reince Priebus said on Sunday that President-elect Trump will accept the intelligence community’s consensus that Russia attempted to interfere with the U.S. election once officials, including FBI Director James Comey, issue a formal statement. Until then, Priebus said, it is not enough for Trump’s team to take news reports and one official’s comment as fact.
“I think he would accept the conclusion if these intelligence professionals would get together, put out a report, show the American people that they’re actually on the same page,” Priebus told Fox News host Chris Wallace. “We haven’t heard from Comey.”
Wallace asked Priebus why CIA Director John Brennan’s statement earlier this week — that intel officials believe Russia is guilty — warranted other intel officials’ signing off on and if Brennan was lying about FBI Director James Comey’s conclusion on the matter.
Priebus said he doesn’t think so, but needs Comey’s words if Trump is going to come full circle in accepting the Russians were behind the multiple incidents despite Russia’s denying the allegations.
“I think that they’re almost there, except for the fact they haven’t been totally up front and transparent in their opinion as to who, what, where, and how this all happened. And I think they’ll get there,” Priebus said. “And when they do, we can hear from the president-elect and get his opinion.”
Trump has described the incident as a post-election ploy by Democrats that he did not know about beforehand, despite tweeting about Russian hacks before Nov. 8. Priebus flat-out denied Wallace’s question on whether any of Trump’s associates had worked with Russia to maneuver the hacks and leaks.
“Even this question is insane. Of course we didn’t interface with the Russians. This whole thing is a spin job,” Priebus said. “I think what the Democrats ought to do is look in the mirror and face the reality that they lost … because they’re so and completely out of touch with the American people that they’re so shell shocked and they can’t believe it.”
