2016 ELECTION/INTELLIGENCE/MEDIA/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House denied Wednesday [7-18-18] that President Donald Trump said he does not believe that Russia is targeting the United States, despite him directly answering a question about it earlier in the day. Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump was asked by a reporter if Russia was still targeting the US. ‘No,’ he responded, looking directly at the reporter. The President’s answer was the latest in a series of shifting statements about whether he endorses US intelligence findings about Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and its continued efforts to disrupt future US elections. Asked about the comment, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, who said she spoke with Trump about his answer, said the President was declining to answer shouted questions when he said ‘no’…Trump’s response, however, appeared to contradict his top intelligence official who said the opposite earlier this week. The statement came amid continued furor over Trump’s remarks about election meddling made alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday [7-16-18] in Helsinki.”
–Kevin Liptak, Clare Foran and Noah Gray, “Sanders disputes that Trump said Russia no longer targeting US,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, July 18, 2018 3:04 pm