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| Trump Falsely Claims, ‘I Never Said Russia Did Not Meddle’ | Trump Falsely Claims, ‘I Never Said Russia Did Not Meddle’ |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump falsely claimed in an early Sunday morning tweet that he had never rejected the notion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. | WASHINGTON — President Trump falsely claimed in an early Sunday morning tweet that he had never rejected the notion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. |
| Mr. Trump is referring to comments he made during the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, 2016. But as The New York Times reported in a fact-check in June, Mr. Trump has also explicitly disagreed with the assessment of various intelligence agencies or cast doubt on Russia’s role in the vote. Here are eight examples, in chronological order. | Mr. Trump is referring to comments he made during the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, 2016. But as The New York Times reported in a fact-check in June, Mr. Trump has also explicitly disagreed with the assessment of various intelligence agencies or cast doubt on Russia’s role in the vote. Here are eight examples, in chronological order. |
| June 2016: “It was the D.N.C. that did the ‘hacking.’” | June 2016: “It was the D.N.C. that did the ‘hacking.’” |
| The Democratic National Committee said that Russian hackers had obtained a trove of internal emails and opposition research. In response, Mr. Trump suggested that the D.N.C. fabricated the story or did the hacking itself: | The Democratic National Committee said that Russian hackers had obtained a trove of internal emails and opposition research. In response, Mr. Trump suggested that the D.N.C. fabricated the story or did the hacking itself: |
| September 2016: “I don’t think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the D.N.C.” | September 2016: “I don’t think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the D.N.C.” |
| As the presidential nominees of their political parties, Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton began receiving government intelligence reports in early August. On Sept. 22, top Democrats on congressional intelligence committees issued a public statement blaming Russia, “based on briefings we have received.” | As the presidential nominees of their political parties, Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton began receiving government intelligence reports in early August. On Sept. 22, top Democrats on congressional intelligence committees issued a public statement blaming Russia, “based on briefings we have received.” |
| Four days later, during the first presidential debate, Mr. Trump declined to agree: | Four days later, during the first presidential debate, Mr. Trump declined to agree: |
| October 2016: “Maybe there is no hacking.” | October 2016: “Maybe there is no hacking.” |
| On Oct. 7, the United States intelligence community released a statement saying it was “confident that the Russian government” directed the cyberattacks. | On Oct. 7, the United States intelligence community released a statement saying it was “confident that the Russian government” directed the cyberattacks. |
| Two days later, Mr. Trump again expressed doubt during the second presidential debate that Russia was responsible: | Two days later, Mr. Trump again expressed doubt during the second presidential debate that Russia was responsible: |
| December 2016: “I don’t believe they interfered. That became a laughing point, not a talking point, a laughing point.” | December 2016: “I don’t believe they interfered. That became a laughing point, not a talking point, a laughing point.” |
| In an interview with Time magazine that December, Mr. Trump, then the president-elect, rejected the notion of Russian interference, even as he entertained the possibility but then suggested other culprits: | In an interview with Time magazine that December, Mr. Trump, then the president-elect, rejected the notion of Russian interference, even as he entertained the possibility but then suggested other culprits: |
| After reports from The Times and The Washington Post that the intelligence communities concluded that Russia acted to aid Mr. Trump in December, Mr. Trump again disagreed. | After reports from The Times and The Washington Post that the intelligence communities concluded that Russia acted to aid Mr. Trump in December, Mr. Trump again disagreed. |
| On Dec. 29, outgoing President Barack Obama issued sanctions against Russia and ejected 35 suspected Russian intelligence operates from the United States. Two days later, Mr. Trump said he still wasn’t convinced that Moscow had played a role in the vote: | On Dec. 29, outgoing President Barack Obama issued sanctions against Russia and ejected 35 suspected Russian intelligence operates from the United States. Two days later, Mr. Trump said he still wasn’t convinced that Moscow had played a role in the vote: |
| “And I know a lot about hacking. And hacking is a very hard thing to prove. So it could be somebody else,” he said to reporters in Palm Beach, Fla. | “And I know a lot about hacking. And hacking is a very hard thing to prove. So it could be somebody else,” he said to reporters in Palm Beach, Fla. |
| January 2017: “Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyberinfrastructure of our governmental institutions.” | January 2017: “Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyberinfrastructure of our governmental institutions.” |
| On Jan. 6, the intelligence community released a declassified report about Russia’s multifaceted attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election. After being briefed on the full report that day, Mr. Trump pointed to “Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people.” | On Jan. 6, the intelligence community released a declassified report about Russia’s multifaceted attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election. After being briefed on the full report that day, Mr. Trump pointed to “Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people.” |
| May: “If Russia did anything having to do with our election, I want to know about it.” | May: “If Russia did anything having to do with our election, I want to know about it.” |
| In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, Mr. Trump spoke of Russian interference as a hypothetical possibility: | In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, Mr. Trump spoke of Russian interference as a hypothetical possibility: |
| July: “Somebody did say if he did do it, you wouldn’t have found out about it. “ | July: “Somebody did say if he did do it, you wouldn’t have found out about it. “ |
| After meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia during a Group of 20 summit meeting, Mr. Trump said in an interview: | After meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia during a Group of 20 summit meeting, Mr. Trump said in an interview: |
| November: “Every time he sees me, he says, ‘I didn’t do that.’” | November: “Every time he sees me, he says, ‘I didn’t do that.’” |
| During a trip to Asia, Mr. Trump met privately with Mr. Putin and told reporters that he believed Mr. Putin’s sincerity as he continued to cast doubt on the F.B.I.’s handling of hacked emails. He also criticized Ms. Clinton’s campaign chairman, John D. Podesta, and described John O. Brennan, the former C.I.A. director, and intelligence officials as “political hacks.” | |
| Of his meeting with the Russian leader, Mr. Trump said: | Of his meeting with the Russian leader, Mr. Trump said: |