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Trump downplays Russia in first comments on cyberattack

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By JILL COLVIN and MATTHEW LEE

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Burning BushToday  06:40 am JST

The media (backed by the military industrial complex) is always pushing for war war war!

The other team has WMD, we have proof but we can't show you because it's classified.

Finally a President that stands up to all the war mongering.

Can't think of anything supportive to say about Trump that's actually about the content of this article?

14 ( +18 / -4 )

There is no evidence to suggest that is the case. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said late Friday that Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the cyberattack against the United States.

Funny how Pompeo is the one to announce it, like Trump might be friends with Vladimir Putin or something.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Trump just doesn't have the balls to take on Putin. Debate whatever reason why that may be, but it's obvious he works to shield their attacks on our country and our democracy.

It will be nice to finally have a President who sees Russia as the threat they are not not a business opportunity.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

This isn't the first time our intelligence agencies have accused Russia and Trump suddenly starts tweeting, "Possibly China???"

I bet Trump's spineless position against Putin drives his supporters crazy, but what are they going to do. Speak out against him? Never. They just don't have it in them. Followers often don't.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

Trump, his fellow Republicans and others in the global far right continue to side with Russia and oppose ‘western’ reports. 

Trump continues to inflict as much damage on the US as he possibly can on his pouty crawl to whichever state is willing to accept him. 

Trump’s ‘American’ supporters LOL at the problems he’s leaving for Biden to clean up. 

While Trump and his klan continue to scam his followers into believing the money they’re sending him will go to his legal fund.

10 ( +17 / -7 )

Nothing, [illegal]

Pee tapes are not illegal. The cops don't care. Just publish them and get it over with. The pee tapes were not part of the Mueller investigation

More CNN garbage

WRONG

Flynn is part of QAnon and believes in the Hillary child porn ring

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Trump is a traitor to his country and clearly in the pocket of Putin. Four years of sucking up to Putin as the POTUS says it all. Putin must have the goods on Trump, probably based on financing the failing Trump financial mirage.

Amazing that rightwing posters support the USA being attached by a foreign country in a weak attempt to cover for the crimes of Trump. Trump for so many reasons should end up in jail.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

I shall now put for theories as valid as Trump's tweets:

discussing the possibility that it may be Kim Kardashian (it may!)

discussing the possibility that it may be Norway (it may!)

discussing the possibility that it may be little brown men from Uranus (it may!)

discussing the possibility that it may be the Ghost of Christmas Past (it may!)

discussing the possibility that it may be a glitch in the Matrix (it may!)

All of them as equally valid as most of Donald Trump's claims deflecting blame from where it belongs... Russia.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

That’s not going to ever happen.

What exactly would be bad about erasing student debt?

They don’t have 320+ million to care for

That is not an argument. The richest country in the world should provide health care to its citizens.

We have met all the standard emission requirements, but China and India get a pass?

No "you" haven't met any standard at all. And China and India don't get a pass at all either, they still both are in the Paris agreement. And the US is still the biggest polluted in the word in carbon emissions per capita, well above both China and India (who both have large absolute emissions, but fairly low in regards to their population). Please get your facts straight if you want to debate.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

“Rest assured we have the best and brightest working hard on it each and every single day,” he said.

When I was in the military, saying something like this would have gotten you yelled at face to face for what would seem like hours. If you have the 'best and brightest' working on it, how come they couldn't stop it in the first effin place?

Experts say there simply are not enough skilled threat-hunting teams to duly identify all the government and private-sector systems that may have been hacked. FireEye, the cybersecurity company that discovered the intrusion into U.S. agencies and was among the victims, has already tallied dozens of casualties. It's racing to identify more.

Looks like we have fallen behind badly and DO NOT have the 'best and brightest' working on it. May take months to identify and get the hackers out and years to identify all the damage done by Trump's partners. Obviously, they need to recruit and keep more top-level talent, pay them better and upgrade these old systems.

Trump has been the single greatest threat to America in history. His incompetent "leadership," denial of clear facts, outright lies, mishandling of the pandemic and general work in the of the office of the presidency has been astoundingly bad and had damaged America more than might ever be known. He is in bed with his buddy Vladdy so of course he is going to throw the blame somewhere else even when the intel clearly shows Russia is behind it. I expected nothing less and he lived up to his very low billing. Next month can't come fast enough to get rid of this guy.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Burning BushToday  06:40 am JST

The media (backed by the military industrial complex) is always pushing for war war war!

The other team has WMD, we have proof but we can't show you because it's classified.

Finally a President that stands up to all the war mongering.

Delusional statement. Trump's own appointed secretary of state said it was a major hack and that Russia was behind it. As did other government agencies in his administration. They all said Russia but Trump contradicts his own people and said it's no big deal and it's China. It has nothing to do with the media. And as usual, his people are doing damage control.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Classic Trump! A couple weeks ago he began waving a white flag at the Taliban and now he's waving one at Putin. It's like a dinner bell to everybody to come and get it while the gettin's good.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Why do you even bother to make predictions anymore? 

Because I can.

Keep them coming. They are great tips for those of us who like a bet in terms of what not to back.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I disagree, don’t touch my private healthcare insurance, if you want to fix those of 22 million, I have not problem with that. But if the Dems want to bury themselves, take private healthcare away from Americans, that might be better for Trump and the GOP.

Having a single payer healthcare system does not mean the end of private healthcare. Yes there is the UK where the whole of the healthcare system is run by the government but that is not the only model of single payer healthcare system. Nations like Taiwan, Republic of Korea, Germany and others have a single payer system that replaces the function of commercial insurers one sees in the US, but the actual point of service healthcare providers are private businesses. There are also countries like Australia and Spain that have hybrid systems where there is a government paid healthcare system available to everyone that provides all the basics but no frills. If you want more, if you want elected procedures not covered by the national plan or your employer wants to offer a more deluxe health plan to attract talent, there are private providers available. Example, with the national healthcare system you might have to share a room with as many as 5 other people. A private plan might offer a private room.

The US healthcare system is by far the most costly healthcare system in the world but the outcomes in terms of life expectancy and infant mortality are in the bottom third of the developed world. The infant mortality rate in the US higher than some developing countries. Nothing to be proud of. In terms of cost, the US spends two to three times as much per person and as a proportion of the GDP as other developed nations spend.

I highly recommend reading a book by the late Uve Reinhardt titled "Priced Out: The Economic and Ethical Costs of American Health Care" In it you will see in detail all the many levels of non-productive profit taking that are built in to the US health care system, and all the excess overhead driven by the use of commercial insurance. The number of non-clinical employees per doctor in the US is staggering, and all because insurance companies, doctors and hospitals fight with each other using armies of coders and billing agents each trying to squeeze a few more bucks out of the other side. None of these people are helping anyone get better faster but they cost a fortune. Single payer cuts all that out while still leaving private doctors and private hospitals to deliver healthcare to the patient.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Trump, after Jan 21st needs to be investigated inside out with respect to his relationship with Russia. His behavior throughout the last 4 years has continuously raised red flags concerning Russia, which he has resisted by using the power of his Presidency and politicizing it. The American people need and have a right to to know why he has continuously defied even his own intelligence agencies to support Russia.

7 ( +15 / -8 )

impeachment attempt

It wasn't an "attempt". Trump was actually impeached and acquitted by hiw own party only (and not exonerated, which means he's very guilty).

7 ( +8 / -1 )

The media (backed by the military industrial complex) is always pushing for war war war!

I’m not going to defend the media, but I haven’t actually seen anyone in the media pushing for war with Russia over this.

And I mean, if Russia did this, which it seems all the evidence indicates, shouldn’t the President of the United States actually take it seriously? I don’t mean starting a war over it, but certainly doing something when America is attacked like this is preferable to doing nothing, no? And if he is trying to cover for Russia by shifting blame to China when there is no evidence China was behind this, he’s kind of doing worse than nothing, he is actually taking the side of the country that attacked the US.

Please remind me what the latest Trumpland theory is which explains why that is that not bad again, I’m having trouble keeping track.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Trump is AWOL. The only thing he's been doing is basically nothing other chasing groundless conspiracy theories which every court, including the U.S. Supreme Court, has thrown out.

Anyway, Trump loves Putin and has never criticized him, so you have to wonder, "What in the hell has Putin got on Trump?" Whatever it is, it's been enough to make Trump Putin's lapdog for the past 4 years.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Why does Trump want to be president so badly? As I have been saying for months he will never leave the WH even if he loses. And poor Trump kids have to support him and kiss his butt or Trump will Will them out and give all his money to a pole dancer

6 ( +8 / -2 )

The President will leave if all else fails by next month.

There’s an ‘all else’ ?!

What’s that then?

6 ( +8 / -2 )

The media (backed by the military industrial complex) is always pushing for war war war!

This has been the case for as long as there have been governments and newspapers.

Holding trump up as a symbol of change is ridiculous.

Under trump’s watch, the US has dropped a record number of bombs in Afghanistan, actually increased troop deployment, continued drone strikes, escalated Somalia, and threatened to bomb NK and Venezuela.

His anti-military posture is as fake as everything else under scrutiny.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

For all people who are convinced Trump is somehow "anti-war": he fully intended to go to war with Iran before his advisers told him not to. And he bombed the hell out of Yemen. So please don't lie to yourselves and to us all.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/16/us/politics/trump-iran-nuclear.html

Trump Sought Options for Attacking Iran to Stop Its Growing Nuclear Program

The president was dissuaded from moving ahead with a strike by advisers who warned that it could escalate into a broader conflict in his last weeks in office.

(The cherry on the proverbial ice-cream being the fact that Iran's nuclear program is only "growing" because the moron-in-chief pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal.)

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Those illegal debts to Russian oligarchs washing Trump's money must be massive, but the biggest reason he cuddles up to Russia is he's a traitor and un-American.

Trump's level of kissing up to the Russians and particularly Putin shows who he is. His cowardice is pathetic and by being so agreeable to a Russian cyber attack is one more reason why Trump was the worst president ever. Good riddance.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

No, because for most of us, we know the left wants to go in guns a-blazing and that’s not going to happen. Why do liberals want to go to war now?

Dare I say it folks? Because a lot of us nasty libs love our county and are more than willing to fight to defend it. A lot of us are not willing to back down in the face of threats to our freedoms and we are not afraid of our enemies. A lot of us served our nation in the military and at the time I served as a Navy pilot the Russians were very much the enemy. Still are it turns out. We know the risks but we are also well aware of what happens if you refuse to fight. Just me but I would rather take my chances fighting that walk away from a fight and surrender what I value in my country. You already left so we all know what you think of the US. Since you have no skin in the game anyway your opinion doesn't really matter much to me.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Hey Trump people, shouldn't Trump fire Pompeo now? What's going on? He has lots of people he can hire as sec of state like Rudy or Flynn. Proof that Trump has failed and is scamming you. He won't even fire Pompeo.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Trump is in panic mode. I'm guessing he is wondering what else is in store, very sad, POTUS behaving like a common burglar.

5 ( +13 / -8 )

It will take years to sort out the damage done by Trump and his fellow followers of Putin.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has refused to blame Russia for well-documented hostilities, including its interference in the 2016 election to help him get elected

When it is obviously Russia, Trumph (most likely under orders from his master Putin) will deny the facts and put his own warped, fact less theories out as the truth.

How much more damage will be discovered under Trumph's watch when Biden take over the White House in January 2021.

Will Biden have to call in the bug exterminators to exterminate the Russian bugs investing the White House ?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Trump wants to be a dictator and Flynn wants to be the right hand man. Proof is Trump is refusing to leave and on Newsmax Flynn wants to use the military to keep Trump in office. Yes, Trump is a war monger because he wants civil war to keep power and Flynn supports this

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Once again, Trump evidently somehow knows more than the intelligence agencies who are the experts?? Trump is an idiot, moron, egomaniac, narcissist, lier, traitor, LOSER, etc etc etc.

He keeps proving over and over again why he is totally incompetent and dangerous to the U.S. and the world. He doesn't care about the U.S. And yet there are millions of misguided members of his cult who support him. Why?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

On really has to ask what does Russia have on Trump? They must really have some seriously compromising stuff on him to make him ignore all facts all evidence, all reality.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Someone opened the asylum door

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Actually the news media should be concentrating on more important things like Trumps tuxedo Christmas picture. It will help take your mind of the pandemic when you see how smart they look.

And much more important than cyber attacks

4 ( +9 / -5 )

He did blame Russia,

No, he didn't. He stated that the 'Lamestream Media' chant about Russia, Russia, Russia, and then he immediately tries to raise the false specter that it could be 'China (it may!).'

He then further went on to post (all of this in the same connected 2 Tweets) the ridiculous theory that election machines were hacked, that he 'won big' and other such tripe.

At no point did he actually 'blame Russia.'

Oh, and... !Election Officials have certified Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. Presidential Election.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1340333618691002368

4 ( +6 / -2 )

 if it’s something radical and politically detrimental to the country.

Like what? Erasing student debt? Government provided health care, like in all other developed nations? Reducing carbon emissions to stop the world from going to hell? What type of "radical" ideas does Biden actually have?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Contradicting his secretary of state and other top officials, President Donald Trump on Saturday suggested without evidence that China — not Russia — may be behind the cyberattack against the United States and tried to minimized its impact.

In his first comments on the breach, Trump scoffed at the focus on the Kremlin and downplayed the intrusions, which the nation’s cybersecurity agency has warned posed a “grave” risk to government and private networks.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the new Gerry Andersen production of "The Fake President"....

In the vein of Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, we will bring you the best in Supermarionation...

Starring Vladimir Putin as the voice of President Donald Trump...

4 ( +6 / -2 )

While Fox News and Trump go on about this and the left planning to install Nation health, go on about improper elections, promote anti vaccine theories, etc...

The owner of Fox News just praised the UK NHS as he got his free Covid-19 vaccine.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Mr President, we have confirmed intelligence that Putin and Russia have launched a major invasion of Ukraine and are just outside the capital....

So? Did they give me any dirt on Biden? Send them some slingshots...

Mr President, Putin and Russia have conducted an unsafe intercept of one of our unarmed reconnaissance planes and it crashed with all lives lost...

Too bad....they were suckers and losers anyway...when's my tee time?

Mr President, Russia just hacked the IRS and stole your tax returns....

WHAT? DEFCON 1! Launch the B-52s!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

On really has to ask what does Russia have on Trump?

Who knows. He's been corrupt for years. Trump also knows Russia is expanding its empire beyond its Eurasian Economic Union areas, to African and South American nations. Trump wants to keep on good terms with Putin and Russian oligarchs knowing they can help him, Ivanka, Jared and syndicate push their brands even farther afield. Like they've done in China.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The media (backed by the military industrial complex) is always pushing for war war war!

In 2016 Internet Research Agency keyboard warriors and others in the Kremlin's various troll armies (backed by the global alt right) were saying something similar, that unless the US elected Trump and did what Putin wanted there'd be WW3.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

What exactly would be bad about erasing student debt?

The wack right would rather continue to spend trillions of taxpayer's dollars on weaponry. Including expanding the nuclear arsenal. And then say they oppose the military-industrial complex. LOL

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It might have been Russia, it may have been China... but I think we all know that it was probably sasquatches.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

What exactly would be bad about erasing student debt? 

Nothing, but it just won’t happen, I’m telling you now.

That is not an argument. The richest country in the world should provide health care to its citizens.

I disagree, don’t touch my private healthcare insurance, if you want to fix those of 22 million, I have not problem with that. But if the Dems want to bury themselves, take private healthcare away from Americans, that might be better for Trump and the GOP.

No "you" haven't met any standard at all.

Yes, we have.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversation/sd-california-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2020-20180712-htmlstory.html

And China and India don't get a pass at all either, they still both are in the Paris agreement. And the US is still the biggest polluted in the word in carbon emissions per capita, well above both China and India (who both have large absolute emissions, but fairly low in regards to their population). Please get your facts straight if you want to debate.

I always have my facts straight for debate.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/china-world-s-biggest-polluter-and-climate-activist

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-01/what-to-watch-as-top-polluter-heads-to-global-climate-talks

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2018/07/01/china-emits-more-carbon-dioxide-than-the-u-s-and-eu-combined/?sh=6df8cfd8628c

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

The wack right would rather continue to spend trillions of taxpayer's dollars on weaponry.

Personally, I take China seriously that they want to destroy the US. Student debt relief won’t help defeat China. Trust me on that one.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

US is not vulnerable to any cyberattack, let alone Russia. The bottom line is they refuse to be intruded, they would thwart all attempts of foreign cyber attack.

But they only want to pounce on others, openly or covertly..

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

with all the stupid and reckless moves Trump made there are two exceptions and most rednecks posting here hate him for that, one is he started no wars and military and the warmongers are not happy the second is he kept away from joining the bandwagon of fake news and accusations about Russia. Nothing that Russia does is hidden, they are being continuously politically, economically attacked and pushed into position of self defense and every move they make is open and publicised. So Trump tried to please the anti Russian hawks by sanctioning Russia but being honest about it, it is the business and we do not need to have false accusations to do our bullying. For thirty years now Russia keep calling America partner while America calls Russia Enemy.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

It is clear now that with the new administration coming in there will be a push for war like there was during pre Trump one. It is very likely that Syria will be reignited, Israel or USA or both will go against Iran and Belarus and Ukraine will be used to as further reason to attack Russia. So this hacking arrangement that may or may not be real is just a preliminary step in getting public and the world of puppet countries ready for the big hitt. America is killing it self from inside and the countries under its influence are all rolling down the hill with it, so they all see Russia as a big fat but lonely turkey ready to be chopped up and eaten raw.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Like what? Erasing student debt?

That’s not going to ever happen.

Government provided health care, like in all other developed nations?

They don’t have 320+ million to care for, it can’t be done efficiently, effectively and with the highest quality on that massive scale and if the Dems really, really want to lose permanently in upcoming future elections, take away privatized health insurance from 80% of Americans that would literally kill the DNC.

Reducing carbon emissions to stop the world from going to hell? What type of "radical" ideas does Biden actually have?

We have met all the standard emission requirements, but China and India get a pass? Why? They have 2 billion and yet they get a pass.....hmmmm

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

The American people need and have a right to to know why he has continuously defied even his own intelligence agencies to support Russia.

To be fair, Biden/Obama did the same with China and Iran. Just go to show, global corporates is now much, much, much more powerful than individual governments any where, especially USA. Are we finally starting to see the demise of the political class?

-11 ( +5 / -16 )

I bet Trump's spineless position against Putin drives his supporters crazy, but what are they going to do.

No, because for most of us, we know the left wants to go in guns a-blazing and that’s not going to happen. Why do liberals want to go to war now?

Speak out against him? Never. They just don't have it in them. Followers often don't.

That goes for both sides actually. Lol

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

McConnell recognized Biden has president-elect.

Mitch can do whatever he wants, Republicans are not a collective bunch, wrong party.

McConnell urged Republican senators on a private conference call not to join House members on January 6 to object to state electoral results, when Congress formally counts the Electoral College votes and members of Congress can object. 

Hey, Dems boycotted Trump’s inauguration, so.....

Other top Republicans -- including Senate Majority Whip John Thune and Senate Rules Chairman Roy Blunt -- echoed that sentiment. Doing so, they said, would be fruitless and force them to cast a politically challenging vote against the President that day.

Ok.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

Mitch McConnell is the senate leader of the republican party and one of Trump's loyal supporters but he said its time to accept Biden won the election and will become the 46th president. No further protests. He even praised Kamal Harris.

In front of the camera and behind the camera are two different things, there is nothing on Biden regarding policy that he likes and he will punt him anyway he can if it’s something radical and politically detrimental to the country.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

All of them as equally valid as most of Donald Trump's claims deflecting blame from where it belongs... Russia.

He did blame Russia, but as bad as the attack was, it seems like our Intel agencies are far better at spying on Americans than they are at spying on our adversaries or the real threat to National Security which is China, but they need to step it up. Trump is not going to bomb anyone because the left want to deflect or better yet, Congress doesn’t want to be held responsible for their own shortcomings, makes sense.

-13 ( +2 / -15 )

Trump is out, Biden is in

Not yet finalized.

and I'm sure he will handle the job much better than his predecessor!

Oh, I doubt it and 72+million people will remind him of that every day.

Trump has failed in so many areas .....

And won on many more.

and his biggest failure is his love with Putin and dictatorships.

Yeah, the Russia narrative just didn’t work for Dems, it really didn’t and the funny thing in all this is, if and or when Trump is out of office, Liberals can’t use Trump as a punching bag on this, remember that, but we now get to call Biden a Russian operative for 4 years and Trump will be golfing unless the media is once again forced to cover Trump which they will essentially have to if they want to keep their jobs, so expect the media to give Biden less attention and keep the Orange man alive to ensure their checks arrive on time for payday.

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

The media (backed by the military industrial complex) is always pushing for war war war!

That's a bingo. And judging from all the downvotes, plenty of fodder on the war train here. People never learn.

-15 ( +3 / -18 )

still promoting those conspiracy theories?

No, that’s why you never hear me talk about Russia, Russia, Russia! ROFL

"The President will leave if all else fails by next month."

Yes.

You really DO surprise me every now and then.

Liberals sadly, never surprise me.

It's over, it's done

Not at all, not in 4 years or even better 2022

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

What does Putin have on Trump

Nothing, Mueller couldn’t establish anything concerning Trump. The Russia narrative is so old now and remember, whatever Trump says, the media as they have been known to do will spin it, when it comes to China and Biden, silent.

At this point, Trump doesn’t need to say anything than what he did and just let the media make up their own narrative because that’s what they do. Don’t blame the guy.

Trump said it must be China.

Well, those conversations are heating up snd in a month expect those accusations to get louder.

On Friday, at an Oval Office meeting discussed using Martial Law, and the military, to keep Trump has president. General Flynn has say to use the military to make an election rerun.

More CNN garbage, this is why people hate the media, they have zero shame and there are actual people that believe this crap! The President will leave if all else fails by next month.

.

-19 ( +4 / -23 )

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