US 'Has No Idea' if Russia Truly Behind Democratic Org Hacks, Trump Says

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump refused again to say the Russian government masterminded the hacking of servers at the Democratic National Committee and other Democratic Party-affiliated organizations, during Wednesday's debate. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security jointly confirmed earlier this month that the Russia government was behind “the recent compromises of e-mails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organizations.” Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton asked Trump Wednesday to “admit and condemn that the Russians are doing this and make it clear that he will not have the help of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in this election.” Clinton later said 17 U.S. intelligence agencies “concluded that these [cyberattacks] come from the highest levels of the Kremlin and are designed to influence our election, and I find it deeply disturbing.” Trump said Clinton “has no idea whether it was Russia, China or anybody else” behind the hacks. “Our country has no idea,” Trump said. “Yeah, I doubt it.” Trump suggested during the Sept. 26 debate (see 1609270056) that “lots of other people” could be behind the hacks, including China or “someone sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds.” Trump said during the Oct. 9 debate that Democrats were attributing the hacks to Russia because “they are trying to tarnish me with Russia.”