On Fox News Sunday, RNC Chairman and soon-to-be White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told Chris Wallace the president-elect would acknowledge Russian intervention in the election if the intelligence agencies would just “come out and say it” via joint report.
“I think he would accept the conclusion if these intelligence professionals would get together, put out a report and show the American people they’re actually on the same page—as opposed to third parties through the Washington Post,” said Priebus, when asked whether the president-elect accepts “consensus about the intel community’s assessment on Russian interference.”
On Friday, The Washington Post reported CIA director John Brennan’s internal message: “Earlier this week, I met separately with FBI [Director] 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.”
Director Brennan’s leaked memo is not enough to change his mind, Priebus said, without a public joint report from Brennan, FBI director James Comey, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
“We haven’t heard from Comey. Look, I think that these guys should be straight with the American people and come out and say it. I don’t think they’ve been clear about it. I think that it’s been all over the map.”
Last week on Fox News Sunday, President-elect Trump had called the idea of Russian interference “ridiculous” and said, “I think it’s just another excuse. I don’t believe it.”
Even if state-directed Russian interference is proven and made public, “There’s no evidence that shows that the outcome of the election was changed,” Priebus said.
