The White House is reportedly planning to reveal a series of retaliatory actions the current administration has taken against Russia for interfering in the 2016 presidential election.
Weeks after President Obama promised a significant response to Moscow’s hack-and-release operations, he is expected to make public some of what the U.S. has done so far to ensure Russia endures consequences for its malicious cyberactivity.
The outgoing Democratic leader is likely to disclose new sanctions that his administration has imposed on its adversary, officials with knowledge of the measures told CNN. Obama could also reveal key individuals who intelligence officials have identified as being involved in the hackings of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta.
White House National Security Council spokesman Mark Stroh declined to confirm reports that the president will unveil a series of retaliation measures this week.
“We’ll respond [to Russia] at a time and with a means of our choosing,” Stroh wrote in an email to the Washington Examiner.
Obama had told reporters at a press conference earlier this month that some of the actions taken against Russia would be “explicit and publicized,” while some would remain covert.
“I think that there is no doubt that when any foreign government tries to impact the integrity of our elections that we need to take action and we will at a time and place of our own choosing,” he said in a separate interview with NPR.
Obama has also ordered a “full review” by the U.S. intelligence community of cyberattacks that occurred during the most recent election and previous cycles “to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned.” He has asked that a comprehensive report be delivered to him before he leaves office on Jan. 20.
