Trump Proposes 'Good Relations' With Russia, Saying 'Only Fools' Would Oppose It
Soon after a U.S. intelligence report said Russia sought to interfere in the presidential election, President-elect Donald Trump wrote a series of tweets, calling for "good relations" with Moscow and citing benefits for the United States.
"Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only 'stupid' people, or fools, would think that it is bad!" Trump wrote in a tweet Saturday.
The tweets come the day after the intelligence report said Moscow provided hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, to WikiLeaks. James Clapper, director of national intelligence, declared Russia "an existential threat to the United States."
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"We have enough problems around the world without yet another one," Trump wrote in another tweet. "When I am President, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!"
Trump, who has been a harsh critic of intelligence agencies, blamed the hacking on "gross negligence" by the DNC.
"Gross negligence by the Democratic National Committee allowed hacking to take place.The Republican National Committee had strong defense!" he wrote in another tweet. "Only reason the hacking of the poorly defended DNC is discussed is that the loss by the Dems was so big that they are totally embarrassed!"
Trump plans to restructure the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, according to The Wall Street Journal. He announced Saturday that he will nominate former Indiana senator Dan Coats as the new national intelligence director, according to ABC.
"[Coats] will provide unwavering leadership that the entire intelligence community can respect, and will spearhead my administration's ceaseless vigilance against those who seek to do us harm," Trump said in a statement.
Coats commented, "There is no higher priority than keeping America safe, and I will utilise every tool at my disposal to make that happen."
