The Central Intelligence Agency says FBI Director Jim Comey and Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper agree with the CIA’s assessment that Russia interfered in the election to help President-elect Trump.
The Washington Post reported Friday CIA Director John Brennan wrote in a message that there was a consensus between the three officials on Russian hacking.
“Earlier this week, I met separately with FBI James Comey and DNI Jim Clapper, and there is strong consensus among us on the scope, nature, and intent of Russian interference in our presidential election,” Brennan wrote, according to U.S. officials who had seen the message and then spoke to the Post.
The message was shared with the agency’s workforce. In addition, it stated, “The three of us also agree that our organizations, along with others, need to focus on completing the thorough review of this issue that has been directed by President Obama and which is being led by the DNI.”
Anonymous reports last week stated the CIA believed Russia had not only hacked into the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, but they had done so in order to harm her and help elect Trump. The FBI did not agree with that assessment originally, and reports suggested that they couldn’t determine Russian intent with the hacks.
According to the report, the CIA told senators in a closed-door briefing two weeks ago that electing Trump was one of Russia’s goals in the hacking.
The CIA and FBI also believe the Russians had multiple purposes for hacking into the DNC and Podesta’s emails. Among the other purposes was undermining confidence in the American electoral system, the report stated.
Trump has consistently denied that he believes Russia is behind the hacks and believes the reports from the intelligence community are an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of his election victory.
Kellyanne Conway, one of Trump’s top advisers, told a reporter she hadn’t seen the report when asked Friday.
“I don’t see it actually,” she said.
