Washington, D.C. — Center for American Progress Vice President for National Security and International Policy Vikram Singh issued this statement following President-elect Donald Trump’s refusal to deny connections between himself and the Russian government in the hacking of the U.S. election:
During his press conference today, President-elect Trump did nothing to reassure the American public that he, his family, his businesses, and his campaign did not collude with the Russian government to manipulate the U.S. presidential election. The allegations against Trump are among the most serious ever leveled at a president or president-elect in the history of our country. A complex web of connections to Moscow exists between Trump, his associates, and nominees to senior government positions.
The American people deserve an exhaustive, independent investigation into what Russia did to affect our election, what connections Trump or anyone connected to Trump had to the Russians, and whether any of the recent allegations are true. The president-elect needs to do more than brush these allegations off as “fake news” while criticizing the U.S. intelligence community. His assault on the U.S. intelligence community and echoing of Russian claims and propaganda are a danger to U.S. national security. Trump can allay concerns by releasing his financial information, including complete tax returns; fully divesting himself from all businesses; and supporting an independent investigation so that the American people can be sure that he has nothing to hide and is not susceptible to coercion from foreign powers.
Related resources:
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.