GOP senator: Trump has changed his mind about Russian interference
When it comes to  the Russia scandal   Donald Trump and his team  have adopted a series of evolving postures . Remember when  they  used to argue – with a straight face – that literally no one from Trump ’ s operation was in communications with Russians during the foreign attack on the American elections ? As it turns out   Trump World doesn ’ t say this anymore . But there ’ s one aspect of the scandal on which the president has been remarkably consistent :  Trump  has rejected the idea that Russia stole Democratic materials in the first place . Indeed   since the moment U . S . intelligence officials briefed the then - Republican candidate on this in 2016    Trump  rejected the claim as folly   going to far as to repeatedly mock American intelligence agencies . No matter how painfully obvious the facts were to everyone on the planet    Trump  refused to accept the most basic detail of the entire controversy . According to Sen . Lindsey Graham ( R - S . C .)  however   all of that has changed . Here ’ s the exchange  he  had yesterday with NBC News ’ Chuck Todd on “ Meet the Press .” GRAHAM : Well   the president does now finally believe that the Russians stole the emails from the DNC and hacked   and Clinton   and the Russians …. The president does believe his intel agencies . Now   it ’ s quite likely that  Trump  and Graham   who appear to now be rather close allies   have had private conversations in which the president has said things to the senator that he hasn ’ t shared with the public . But if  Trump  told Graham he now believes Russians stole Democratic documents   it would represent a dramatic change of heart . As recently as mid - November – not quite two months ago –  Trump  told reporters that Vladimir Putin personally assured  him  that Russia didn ’ t meddle in the American election . “ Every time  he  sees me  he  says   ‘ I didn ’ t do that  ’ and I really believe that when  he  tells me that    he  means it  ” the American president said in reference to his Russian counterpart . It was part of a lengthy pattern in which Trump refused to accept U . S . intelligence agencies ’ findings . “ Nobody really knows for sure ” whether Russia intervened in the American elections   the president said in July – after intelligence professionals told him they do know for sure . But according to Lindsey Graham   sometime between mid - November and early - January   Trump changed his mind   and if the senator is right   the shift is a pretty important development . Indeed   Graham ’ s assertion raises some key follow - up questions for the White House : 1 . Can anyone from Trump World confirm whether Graham is correct ? If so   what finally convinced  Trump  to change his mind ? If  Trump  now believes Putin ’ s government stole American materials in order to influence the outcome of American elections   what does the president intend to do to punish our foreign attackers ? If  Trump  now accepts the intelligence community ’ s findings   does he have any regrets about insulting intelligence agencies for so long ? Should they expect a presidential apology ? Or is it possible Lindsey Graham is carrying water for his new pal   who ’ ll soon make the senator appear foolish by saying the opposite of what the senator claimed yesterday ?
When it comes to  the Russia scandal   [TGT] and [TGT] team  have adopted a series of evolving postures . Remember when  they  used to argue – with a straight face – that literally no one from [TGT] ’ s operation was in communications with Russians during the foreign attack on the American elections ? As it turns out   Trump World doesn ’ t say this anymore . But there ’ s one aspect of the scandal on which the president has been remarkably consistent :  [TGT]has rejected the idea that Russia stole Democratic materials in the first place . Indeed   since the moment U . S . intelligence officials briefed the then - Republican candidate on this in 2016    [TGT]rejected the claim as folly   going to far as to repeatedly mock American intelligence agencies . No matter how painfully obvious the facts were to everyone on the planet    [TGT]refused to accept the most basic detail of the entire controversy . According to Sen . Lindsey Graham ( R - S . C .)  however   all of that has changed . Here ’ s the exchange  he  had yesterday with NBC News ’ Chuck Todd on “ Meet the Press .” GRAHAM : Well   the president does now finally believe that the Russians stole the emails from the DNC and hacked   and Clinton   and the Russians …. The president does believe his intel agencies . Now   it ’ s quite likely that  [TGT]and Graham   who appear to now be rather close allies   have had private conversations in which the president has said things to the senator that he hasn ’ t shared with the public . But if  [TGT]told Graham he now believes Russians stole Democratic documents   it would represent a dramatic change of heart . As recently as mid - November – not quite two months ago –  [TGT]told reporters that Vladimir Putin personally assured  him  that Russia didn ’ t meddle in the American election . “ Every time  he  sees me  he  says   ‘ I didn ’ t do that  ’ and I really believe that when  he  tells me that    he  means it  ” the American president said in reference to his Russian counterpart . It was part of a lengthy pattern in which [TGT] refused to accept U . S . intelligence agencies ’ findings . “ Nobody really knows for sure ” whether Russia intervened in the American elections   the president said in July – after intelligence professionals told him they do know for sure . But according to Lindsey Graham   sometime between mid - November and early - January   [TGT] changed his mind   and if the senator is right   the shift is a pretty important development . Indeed   Graham ’ s assertion raises some key follow - up questions for the White House : 1 . Can anyone from Trump World confirm whether Graham is correct ? If so   what finally convinced  [TGT]  to change his mind ? If  Trump  now believes Putin ’ s government stole American materials in order to influence the outcome of American elections   what does the president intend to do to punish our foreign attackers ? If  Trump  now accepts the intelligence community ’ s findings   does he have any regrets about insulting intelligence agencies for so long ? Should they expect a presidential apology ? Or is it possible Lindsey Graham is carrying water for his new pal   who ’ ll soon make the senator appear foolish by saying the opposite of what the senator claimed yesterday ?