Only Russia’s most senior officials could have authorized the data theft and disclosures that took place during the 2016 election campaign, according to three top U.S. intelligence officials, disputing skepticism by President-elect Donald Trump that the government has proof in holding Russia responsible for the hacks.
In a joint statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Marcel Lettre and National Security Agency Director Admiral Michael Rogers said they stood by the intelligence community’s Oct. 7 finding that Russia interfered with U.S. political institutions last year. The three officials testified Thursday at a committee hearing on foreign cyber threats. Rogers is a finalist for Trump’s pick for the director of national intelligence.
