Reuters-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
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