President Trump claimed in tweets on Thursday that last year's Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and other political organizations is a hoax created by the Democratic Party.
"It's all a big Dem HOAX!” the president tweeted.
...Why did Democratic National Committee turn down the DHS offer to protect against hacks (long prior to election). It's all a big Dem HOAX!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
Trump accused the party of creating conspiracy theories surrounding election meddling, saying it was an excuse for their losses.
...Why did the DNC REFUSE to turn over its Server to the FBI, and still hasn't? It's all a big Dem scam and excuse for losing the election!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
The two tweets followed another implying that if the Russians had hacked the election, President Obama should have gotten more involved.
By the way, if Russia was working so hard on the 2016 Election, it all took place during the Obama Admin. Why didn't they stop them?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
The DNC issued a statement shortly after the president tweeted, saying it has complied with the FBI's requests and provided the bureau with all of the information needed to make their assessment.
“The DNC was contacted by [the Department of Homeland Security] months after the DNC worked closely with the FBI to remedy the intrusion. The DNC then provided DHS with detailed information about the intrusion," spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
“The intelligence community has no doubt that the Russians attacked the DNC in an effort to disrupt our election. The only person who disputes this is Donald TrumpDonald TrumpKobach fined over Trump meeting memo OPINION: Dear media, Americans don't care about Obama's legacy Make America’s classroom and workplaces safe again MORE."
The tweets were sent two days after White House press secretary Sean Spicer refused to say if the president supports the intelligence community's conclusion that Moscow ordered the 2016 hacks in order to help get Trump elected.
"I have not sat down and talked to him about that specific thing," Spicer said.
The president’s claims also come as scrutiny surrounding possible coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin intensifies.
A special counsel and at least four congressional committees are investigating 2016 breaches blamed on Russia, but Trump has cast doubt on the idea — supported by more than a dozen intelligence agencies — that Moscow is to blame.
“I don’t believe they interfered,” he told Time magazine late last year. “That became a laughing point — not a talking point, a laughing point. Anytime I do something, they say, ‘Oh, Russia interfered.’ ”
“It could be Russia. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey,” Trump added.
Trump has called the probes into alleged ties between his campaign and Russian election engagement a “witch hunt.”