2016 ELECTION/CYBERWAR/INTELLIGENCE/NATIONAL SECURITY/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE/DAN COATS: “Dan Coats, President Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. intelligence community, said at his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday [2-28-17] that he believes Russia attempted to meddle in last year’s presidential race, putting him potentially at odds with the White House.
Russia ‘definitely did try to influence the campaign,’ said Coats, who was nominated to head the Office of the Director of National intelligence, the nation’s top intelligence job.
The assertion suggests Coats supports U.S. intelligence conclusions about Russia’s role that Trump has repeatedly questioned or derided. If he is confirmed, Coats is likely to play a key role in the squabble over Russia that has dogged the early Trump presidency.
‘Russia has a long history of propaganda and trying to influence various nation’s cultures and elections,’ said Coats. ‘It’s happening. They seem to have stepped up their game.’ “
– Del Quentin Wilber, “Trump’s nominee for intelligence chief says Russia definitely tried to meddle in U.S. election,” The Los Angeles Times online, Feb. 28, 2017