A top aide to President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview aired on Sunday that the White House may have disproportionately punished Russia by ordering the expulsion of 35 suspected Russian spies.
Incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on ABC's "This Week" that Trump will be asking questions of U.S. intelligence agencies after President Barack Obama imposed sanctions last week on two Russian intelligence agencies over what he said was their involvement in hacking political groups in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Obama also ordered Russia to vacate two U.S. facilities as part of the tough sanctions on Russia.
"One of the questions that we have is why the magnitude of this? I mean you look at 35 people being expelled, two sites being closed down, the question is, is that response in proportion to the actions taken? Maybe it was; maybe it wasn't but you have to think about that," Spicer said.
Trump is to have briefings with intelligence agencies this week after he returns to New York on Sunday.
On Saturday, Trump expressed continued skepticism over whether Russia was responsible for computer hacks of Democratic Party officials.
"I think it's unfair if we don't know. It could be somebody else. I also know things that other people don't know so we cannot be sure," Trump said.
He said he would disclose some information on the issue on Tuesday or Wednesday, without elaborating. It is unclear if, upon taking office on Jan. 20, he would seek to roll back Obama's actions, which mark a post-Cold War low in U.S.-Russian ties.
Spicer said that after China in 2015 seized records of U.S. government employees "no action publicly was taken. Nothing, nothing was taken when millions of people had their private information, including information on security clearances that was shared. Not one thing happened."
"So there is a question about whether there's a political retribution here versus a diplomatic response," he added.
PRESSURE IN CONGRESS
U.S. intelligence agencies say Russia was behind hacks into Democratic Party organizations and operatives before the presidential election. Moscow denies this. U.S. intelligence officials say the Russian cyber attacks aimed to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Republican John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has scheduled a hearing for Thursday on foreign cyber threats and has said that Russia must be made to pay the price for attacks "on our very fundamentals of democracy.
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said on the same ABC program that Congress would push for an even harsher reprisal against Russia and warned Trump against undoing Obama’s sanctions.
"We think that more has to be done. We don't think that frankly the steps that have been taken are enough of a deterrent," said Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat. “And you're going to see bipartisan support in Congress for stronger sanctions against Russia."
Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, said on "Fox News Sunday" that Obama's sanctions were not enough.
Russian President Vladimir Putin decided not to expel anyone in retaliation, saying he would consider the actions of Trump when deciding on further steps. Trump, who has repeatedly praised Putin, said the Russian leader was "very smart" for holding back.
Russian diplomats who were expelled by Obama left Washington on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported, citing Russia's embassy.
Reuters
Mon Jan 02 2017
Sean Spicer arrives in the lobby of Republican president-elect Donald Trump's Trump Tower in New York, New York, U.S. November 14, 2016. REUTERS/File
SDG: UTP lahir pelajar berkemahiran, tinggi tanggungjawab sosial
UTP berhasrat mendidik pelajar bukan sahaja untuk mahir dalam aspek teknikal tetapi juga untuk menjadi warganegara yang bertanggungjawab.
MAA semak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan 2024 kepada 765,000 unit
Persatuan Automotif Malaysia (MAA) telah menyemak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan bermotor baharu bagi 2024 kepada 765,000 unit daripada anggaran sebelumnya sebanyak 740,000 unit.
RUU 355: Pindaan perlu untuk praktikaliti, keadilan
Apa sahaja pindaan terhadap akta itu perlu berjalan selari dengan persediaan mereka yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakannya.
Rasionalisasi RON95 dijangka beri impak lebih besar kepada PKS - SAMENTA
SAMENTA menjangkakan rasionalisasi RON95 akan memberi impak yang lebih besar kepada perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) berbanding pelarasan subsidi diesel.
Malaysia sasar pengeluaran 40 peratus sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030
Malaysia menyasarkan pengeluaran 40 peratus hasil sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030 dalam usaha membantu mengimbangi keperluan perikanan negara.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp
Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang Negara (PAC) memberi tempoh tiga bulan kepada Perbadanan Pembangunan Sumber Manusia (HRD Corp) untuk mengemukakan laporan tindakan susulan terhadap syor jawatankuasa itu.
Kylian Mbappe tandatangan kontrak dengan Real Madrid
Bintang bola sepak Perancis Kylian Mbappe menandatangani kontrak selama lima tahun dengan kelab Sepanyol Real Madrid pada Selasa.
Pelepasan ketujuh air sisa nuklear Fukushima ke laut selesai
Jepun telah menyelesaikan pusingan ketujuh pelepasan air sisa radioaktif yang dirawat dari loji kuasa nuklear Fukushima Daiichi ke Lautan Pasifik pada Selasa.
Empat termasuk kapten maut dalam pertempuran
Empat anggota tentera India termasuk kapten meninggal dunia akibat kecederaan selepas pertempuuran pada malam isnin di Hutan Desa.
Tiada tempat untuk keganasan politik dalam demokrasi AS - Obama
Kenyataan Obama mengundang kecaman warganet terutamanya istilah 'keganasan politik' yang dikatakan menunjukkan sisi hipokrasi Washington.
Kematian tukang masak peribadi Barack Obama diisytihar satu kemalangan
Punca kematian diisytiharkan sebagai kes lemas dan cara kematian disahkan sebagai satu kemalangan.
Tukang masak peribadi Barack Obama ditemukan lemas
Mendiang Campbell meninggalkan seorang isteri, Sherise dan sepasang anak kembar.
Kes 1MDB: Jho Low rancang derma RM132 juta kempen Obama 2012
DiCaprio memberitahu juri bahawa Jho Low merancang untuk menderma sekitar AS$30 juta bagi membantu kempen pemilihan semula Barack Obama.
Naib Presiden AS Kamala Harris mulakan lawatan seminggu ke Afrika
Kamala Harris memulakan lawatan seminggu ke Afrika bermula hujung minggu ini.
Pemimpin, selebriti dan peminat bola sepak dunia ratapi pemergian Pele
Pele meninggal dunia pada usia 82 tahun selepas bertarung dengan kanser kolon.
Obama, Michelle kembali ke White House untuk lancar potret rasmi
Bekas Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Barack Obama dan isteri Michelle Obama kembali ke Rumah Putih untuk melancarkan potret rasmi mereka.
Obama umum positif COVID-19
Beliau dalam pada itu turut memaklumkan isterinya Bekas Wanita Pertama Michelle negatif jangkitan itu setakat ini.
Pertembungan generasi tua dan muda sebenarnya cetuskan cabaran berbahaya - Obama
Masih ramai golongan berusia yang berada di takuk lama termasuk cara kepimpinan dan pemikiran
Sisi luka perang di Afghanistan tinggalan Amerika
Sorotan kesan misi hampir dua dekad tentera Amerika Syarikat di Afghanistan ke atas generasi kanak-kanak, yang paling terdera disebabkan perang. Nasib mereka terus tidak menentu di tangan Taliban